Wait for me
by RYOUKOx
Summary: Emotions are wreckless and a distraction from reality, who would have ever guessed that there was vacant spot in a murderers mind for someone who didn't even want to be there. But once she's there, is it really that difficult to escape. FIN. :
1. Return to Konaha

**Wait for me  
**

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**AN-**Please note that this fic is the original copy and the re-write can be found by scrolling through my homepage. It's named "Philosophies for their Hatred" and tells the same stroy just at a totally higher and more intellectual level. If you'd rather read this first then be my guest but please give it a shot, I totally prefer it But I love you all. This story makes me proud. (:  
RYOUKOx

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**ITAXSAKU**

It does take a while to come into a Sakura, Itachi fan fic but It's just how I wrote the fic

**Chapter 1**

**Sakura**

Sakura rubbed her eyes and ruffled her hair sleepily. She glanced at her nearby alarm clock the read 3:41am. She sighed. "13 minutes" she said placing her head in her cold, petite hands. The longest she'd slept since Sasuke left was a half an hour and she had thanked Tsunade generously for the Sake she had consumed that night. Sakura wondered how long she would have to wait before she got a decent nights sleep. Her sleeping patterns hadn't improved for four years and Tsunade couldn't understand it although she'd never heard about Sakura's infatuation with Sasuke. Sakura ruffled her hair once more it felt stuck to her face. She sighed. "Sasuke, there's someone no-one talks about anymore" She thought swinging her legs off of her futon to touch the floor. She shuddered, the floor was freezing and as her feet grazed it she'd wished to jump back in to her warm futon. The time was 3:56am and Sakura decided to get ready. She stood and shuddered once again as the cold air delicately graced the curves of her body. She stood at the window and smiled. "He's been so long" She thought . She lowered her head. "I wonder if he remembers me" She said. The wind blew in some leaves from the nearby Sakura tree and they lay on her floor. She turned and picked them up placed them into a large plate which had a thin layer of water inside it. It was a present from her mother.

"_Ooka-san look" 4 year old Sakura pointed at some Sakura petals as the fell on her face. _

_Once delicate petal fell lightly upon her nose. She sneezed and lost the petal almost immediately. _

"_Ooka-san, Ooka-san!" Sakura repeated pointing at the falling petals. _

_Sakura's mother sat down besides Sakura who was jumping to catch the falling petals that fell around her._

"_Sakura please stop that jumping" Her mother ordered reaching for Sakura's hand. Sakura stopped and faced her mothers stern glare. _

"_I'm sorry Ooka-san" Sakura lowered her head and her pink bangs fell in her face._

" _My little Sakura come here" Sakura's mother said tugging Sakura's shoulder. Sakura looked up and beamed at her mother jumping into her lap. _

_Her mother sighed and brushed a few strands of pink away from Sakura's face. _

"_Sakura would you like some flowers?" Her mother asked ._

_Sakura turned and looked at her mothers face. Her mother wasn't very old but her skin had flaws and was aged._

_Sakura nodded and looked up towards the tree and the petals that were still falling around her. _

_Her mother picked Sakura up and Sakura reached towards the flowers grasping a few carefully in her palm. _

"_Carefully Sakura! Her mother said a tight grip on Sakura so she didn't fall. _

"_I've got enough now Ooka-san see, see!" Sakura exclaimed shoving the flowers around. _

_Her mother nodded and they started to walk back to her home._

"_Ooka-san the flowers they die we have to hurry" Sakura and her mother fastened the pace and then raced to her home. _

_Sakura and her mother then carefully placed the flowers in the kitchen and her mother reached down from a high cupboard. _

_It was blue and had Sakura blossoms carefully inked on it. _

"_Now just place them in there and add some water" Her mother explained doing as she said. _

_Sakura watched contently._

_The inking was words which she read aloud._

" _The most beautiful flowers is one who knows what she has to do to find her happiness"_

_Sakura smiled. "I understand it Ooka-san" _

She pulled on her black kimono and read the time again. "5:35 already" She said shaking her head making her bubble gum strands sway from side to side. She made a cup of coffee in the kitchen and drank it black then head out the door quickly wrapping herself up warm. She checked her watch feeling obsessed by the time. "Tuesday October 21st" She sighed. It was very soon to be the fourth year without her parents. She'd lost nearly everything she'd ever lived for that year. The year that Sasuke and then her parents sudden killing. Sakura's life was lonely since. She pondered this thought pulling at the inside of her coat pockets. She looked up and saw a sudden blur of purple speeding happily down the road drawing the attention of many local people. They looked and whispered to someone near about the loud girl with blonde hair.

"Ino" Sakura though shaking her head.

"SAKURA-CHAAAN!" Ino screamed down the road happily. Ino repeated to call at Sakura while waving her arms around. Sakura smiled and waved back at Ino politely. "Sakura-chaaan!" She shouted growing closer. She stopped in front of Sakura. " Sakura how come your up so early?" Ino asked sitting on the side walk panting heavily.

"I-I-well-I was buying groceries" Sakura replied lying to Ino who could see through any lie of Sakura's a mile away. Ino smiled and nodded. "You?" Sakura asked as Ino fanned herself with her hand.

"Keeping fit" Ino replied smiling and then jogging on the spot.

"It's way too early for that Ino" Sakura said making Ino stop her consistent jogging.

"Isn't it a bit to early for grocery shopping, Forehead girl?" Ino asked poking out her red tongue playfully.

"Whatever you say Ino-pig" Sakura giggled showing Ino her dazzling smile.

"I gotta go Sakura yoga starts really soon" Ino said running towards the main road while waving at Sakura.

"Ino be carefu-" Sakura shouted.

Suddenly a large truck came speeding down the road in Ino's direction. Ino didn't have time to think as she braced herself for a shock. She'd always been a semi-brave girl but getting ran over was never in her daily training. She screamed and closed her eyes thinking this would be the end for her. She held her breath and waited for the loud bang of the truck smacking her body, the sudden jolt and rush of pain as she flew through the air. Just waiting. She could hear the screams of women and children followed by the screeching of breaks. She gasped her breath inflating her lungs and a cold sweat falling over her. She waited…and waited. Ino felt puzzled as she knew the truck would've hit her by now. She opened her eyes and blinked.

"Shikamaru?" She whispered.

She saw Shikamaru's shadow jutsu caught on the wheels of the truck stopping it in it's tracks. Ino blinked and looked at Shikamaru who chuckled.

"Getting ran over, how trouble some?" He said shaking his head and smiling at Ino who blushed back at him.

He smiled again proudly at Ino. She giggled back at Shikamaru then she waved wiggling her well manicured fingers at Shikamaru.

Sakura's stomach turned over. Whenever something like this happened to Ino Sakura felt like she would always be the best friend to the model girl with all the boyfriends after her. She was the doormatthey complained to when Ino wouldn't talk to them or when she didn't come to dinner.

Sakura shouted out at Ino who had walked off to Shikamaru moving her hips from side to side catching Shikamaru's attention. But the crowd had gathered around Ino and Shikamaru and Sakura knew she wouldn't be heard over the noise. She sighed and made her way to the Hokage's tower.She clenched her fists slightly and embraced the chilling air on her pale face. She made her way up to the Hokage's tower and took a small breather once she reached the top. She sighed, It always seemed easier to climb from a distance. Sakura had been dragging her feet all the way to Tsunade's room. She could her raised voices from inside along with a few sudden snort. She pressed her ear to the door and listened contently to the conversation.

"Tsunade-sama you cant give that mission to her" It was the worried voice of Shizune.

"I cant use any other ninja. With all the recent wars with the Sound and Water she's the only nin I can trust to do this properly" Tsunade answered. Tonton snorted in approval with Tsunade.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "But Tsunade!" Shizune protested.

"Shizune I have no choice, Sasuke must return to Konaha".


	2. Take no one unless wanted

**Chapter 2**

**"Take no one unless wanted"**

**Sakura**

**Last chapter-**

"I cant use any other ninja. With all the recent wars with the Sound and Water she's the only nin I can trust to do this properly" Tsunade answered. Tonton snorted in approval with Tsunade.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "But Tsunade!" Shizune protested.

"Shizune I have no choice, Sasuke must return to Konaha".

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Sakura's breath hitched in her throat and she grabbed for her necklace.

She heard mumbling starting again in the room.

"I know she can handle anything Sasuke can throw at her" Shizune didn't reply and Tsunade took a deep breath. The speech between the two women paused and Sakura could swear that she heard a faint pouring sound. She knew the only pourijng that would be going on would be easing Tsunade's nerves with a bottle of Sake.

"Shizune, I trust her" Tsunade re-assured Shizune who let out a deep sigh.

"I-I'll send the scroll to Sakura's room immediately".

Sakura stepped back as she heard the footsteps approaching the door infront of her. She turned and felt the rush of panic fall over her, She scrambled down the towar steps as fast as she could the wind whipping at her long bubble-gum hair.

"Sasuke returning to Konaha?" She asked herself, clenching her fist. The sun shone brightly against Sakura's skin as she ran through the busy streets. "Why me Tsunade-sama I don't understand" She thought letting a shiny tear slide down her face.

Shizune slowly started making her way down the towers steps as she noticed a pink head of hair running at immense speed far away from the tower and her ANBU room. Shizune nodd her head. "I know you can do this Sakura-san" Shizune whispered. Ton-ton gave a somewhat disagreeing snort. This un-eased Shizune and she tightened her grip on the scroll she was carrying.

Sakura soon reached her parents house, she was panting heavily from running for so long.Her hand ran through her hair and she wiped the sweat from her fore head. The cold wind slashed around the curves of her body and she shivered slightly closing her eyes wiping the tears from her face she could hear the sounds all around her.The start of fresh raindrops bouncing down and crashing on the floor and the crucnh of leaves around her. She looked up and in the distance Shizune hurriedly walking towards her.

"But surely she would send the scroll to my ANBU room like Tsunade-sama ordered" Sakura thought as Shizune grew closer.

"Sakura-san" Shizune called waving a scroll at Sakura. Her voice echoed in Sakura's empty street. Her house was the only one, the street had one house and one large Sakura tree. A/N : Coinscidence XD

Sakura sighed and knew what was soon to be confirmed. She beckoned Shizune who started to jog towards Sakura. "Sakura-san urgent information from Tsunade-sama" Shizune said catching her breath. Sakura already knew the 'urgent information' and felt that this was going to be on of the most difficult missions she'd face. She'd been in missions where she knew it was life or death , She'd been in missions where lives of her team members where risked to save her own. But never was she in a mission that her team member would possibly kill her. The thought of seeing Sasuke's face again sent shivers down her spine.

"Shizune, come inside" Sakura ordered while opening the door. Shizune hesitated gripping the scroll tight like she had done before. "Shizune, please?" Sakura repeated sending Shizune a sudden glare. Shizune blinked and did as she was told. Sakura stood against the door letting Shizune pass by her. She closed the door slowly and gave out a sigh. "I-I c-can do this mission" She told herself in no more than a whisper, laying her head lightly on the door she clenched her right fist. Shizune glared at Sakura's back sympathetically, she lowered her head. "Tsunade-sama says you can do this"

"Thank you Shizune" Sakura replied ignorantly being slightly sarcastic as she spoke. Sakura gasped not realising she was being so rude. She figured this was the only way she knew to react about this mission.

The scroll Shizune held was fastened with a piece of black material and a matching ribbon tied around the middle. "S-rank ribbon" Sakura mumbled under her breath.

"Sakura-san"

Sakura looked up. "I believe you can do this"

Sakura didn't reply. "Everyone believes you can do this" Sakura span to face Shizune.

"That's a lie" Sakura spat and clenched her fists tightly. She felt her body shaking. "He doesn't believe I can do this" Sakura let a tear fall to the floor and make a small splash on the wooden floor below them both. "He doesn't believe I can do anything" Sakura screamed her knuckles turning white with anger.

Shizune stepped forward and went to hug Sakura but Sakura's body stayed rigid. Shizune wrapped her arms around Sakura tighter.

"That's enough Shizune" Shizune released her grip on Sakura her point her finger towards the door in an indication for Shizune to leave.

Shizune blinked at Sakura and left abruptly. It was raining heavily and Shizune sighed as she started to walk back to the Hokage's tower.

"S-rank" the words ran through her head repeatedly. She held the silky black ribbon in her fingers. She pulled at it with a gentle tug and It loosened leaving the black material falling to the floor. She looked at the inked scroll in her hand.

"For Sakura" it read. The scroll parchment was old and worn. Sakura un-ravelled the scroll on the table and read intently.

"For Sakura

I will not give this to you straight away, I feel that you will need this mission to feel complete. The mission is far beyond your current status so I will wait until the time is right for you. I know that you'll still feel involved in this whenever you recieve the scrool. I'm sorry that I've chosen to bestow this heavy load upon your shoulders. But I know that this is something that you want as well as many other people. It's all down to you know Sakura. You are suited to this mission there is no who could do it better.

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Mission Details:

Information:

Retrieve: Sasuke Uchiha of the hidden village in the leaves.

Dispatch: N/A

Mission rules: Retrieve Sasuke Uchiha. Kill any followers of the enemy. He is supposed to be near the hidden village of the sound.

Companions: Take no one, unless wanted.

**Konaha's Fourth hokage**"

Sakura read every word in great detail. "Take no one, unless wanted" She thought. "Who could I ever trust enough to come with me".She pulled her fingers along the delicate inking on the parchment. She realised that this had been decided long before she could even think about retrieving Sasuke properly, For the fourth Hokage to assign the mission He must have had a great trust in Sakura. The rain hit the window and distracted Sakura from her gaze on the piece of parchment. It fell on the window and rolled down quickly to be replaced by a new drop.

Sakura left the parchment on the table and made her way into her room. The rooms in her parents house were dark and gloomy and Sakura's room was the only room that was used semi-frequently. The rest of the rooms were left exactly how they were when they'd last been used by Sakura's parents. Her mothers dresser still had her Silver mirror laid on it and her powder was still tipped over to one side. Her mother's face was porcelain white , this feature she'd passed onto Sakura and she'd always been recognized for being so pale. Sakura's father had his bkue robe with the Haruno crest led on his side of the bed and his slippers were led with the left on top of the right on the floor next to his bed.

The grandfather clocked chimed and Sakura glanced at the careful carved clock. Her legs and arms ached and her eyes were sleepily closing. She leaned next to the clock and sank her body down next to it. She took a deep breath and her head fell forward as she tuck her knees up to her chest.

_The moon shone on the lake in front of Sakura. She sat down carefully not to dirty the beautiful white dress she was wearing. She ran her fingers through the grass that surrounded her. She picked a single red rose and pulled of a petal one by one. "He loves me, he loves me not" She repeated this until all the red rose petal lay upon her lap. She dropped all of them into the water slowly and watched the ripples that grew wider around the delicate petals. _

"_What are you doing here?" _

_Sakura turned her long hair falling over her should and gracing itself on to her back. "I could ask you the same question" She said moving her body more to face this un-identified person. He was in the shadow of a large tree. _

"_Don't play stupid with me Sakura " The voice echoed around her sending chills up her spine. She stood up and her long dress fell over her feet. She stepped forward towards the voice. "Show yourself" She demanded standing tall. "Show yourself" She repeated timidly. "Are you wavering Sakura?" The voice was moving and it's footsteps were breaking the slightly frozen blades of grass. _

_His presence was then behind her. His warmth breathing protruding down her front. His hand grazed her cheek. "You're cold" She shuddered . He held her lower stomach and pulled her back towards him. "You look beautiful when you're scared Sakura" the voice was familiar. She turned to face him. "Sasuke?" She said reaching out to touch his face. He stepped back slightly . He raised his hand and stopped her touch. She looked puzzled. "Run away Sakura. Run far away. You don't deserve to live anymore. What are you living for? Who are you living for ?" Sasuke spoke into her ear. He grabbed her wrist and she screamed in pain as her skin felt like it was burning. "Run Sakura listen to me" Sasuke grinned as his curse seal covered his pale face. "Let me go Sasuke please" She pleaded tears falling down her face. She screamed and cried her body writhing in pain. "I hate you" She screamed ._

Sakura jolted upright, she had a cold sweat over her face and she was shaking. "Sasuke" She whispered wiping a tear from her face. The clock chimed again and she stood up. She'd been asleep. The clock kept chiming and Sakura hit it. She then felt bad it was an air loom.

She walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table. The parchment was still led on the table one side slowly curled up. She looked around her kitchen wondering what to take with her. "There's nothing I need here" She said getting up from the table leaving behind the parchment. She looked down at her clothes and remembered she'd have to wear her ANBU gear. She walked in to her room draggin her feet trying to forget her disturbing dream.

"He doesn't want me to do this . He wants me to run." She said leaning against her bedroom door. She groaned. "Maybe I don't want to find him. " She said then she frowned. She was terrible at trying to convinv herself she knew what she was doing would'nt do as she wished.

She sighed and ignored herself opening her wardrobe doors. She pulled on her dark blue top and matching shorts. Then her creamy coloured chest plate, she attached her kunai to her legs and filled her pouch with shuriken and kunai knives.

She splashed her face with water from her en-suite bathroom and took some deep breaths. "I'm fine" She convinced herself forcing a smile across her face. The shone was shining through the window and Sakura headed out the door.

She soon reached the Konaha forest and started jumping between trees feeling a strange sort of chakra. She flew through the forest of Konaha and soon reached the village hidden in the sound. Her surroundings were growing familiar and she'd remembered them from visits beforehand.

She was all alone and the sun was setting. She looked around her and noticed how long she'd travelled. The wind blew by her and she felt a large amount of chakra. It was completely un-disguised. She wasn't sure whether this person was meaning to be caught or simply forgot about hiding themselves. Either way she didn't let her guard down. She pulled out to kunai and hid herself in a tree. She heard the sudden stop of chakra and a person stop on the floor below her hiding place.

They walked forward slightly.

"I've been found. I've been found" Sakura repeated in her head closing her emerald eyes tightly. The person below her walked forward and hid his chakra. He threw a kunai in the air and it stopped on a branch the was only a mere few centimetres from Sakura's face. Sakura almost fell backwards at this closeness, the kunai could've easily slit her throat. She gasped and took a step backward on the branch where she'd been hiding. She looked down seeing exactly where the person had been stood. He wore all black and had a long ponytail that reached to the middle of his back. Sakura blinked and looked again but he was gone. She got down from her hiding place and stood were the man had stood. She took a step forward and heard a small crack underneath her foot. She took her foot away and she saw a glint of glass on the floor.

She bent down and picked up the glass. It was a very small bottle that had a little tear drop on the ripped piece of paper that covered the front. She looked more carefully at the tiny amount of liquid left inside. She smelt it from a distance and remembered the distinctive smell it gave of. Tsunade had taught Sakura all about different poison and their purposes. Whether they were consumable for humans and if they were meant for any personal damage, death or otherwise. Sakura reached for a kunai and slit her thumb leaving a few drops of blood on the knife. She held the knife and broken bottle at a distance and dropped a tiny drop of the poison onto the kunai.

The blood turned a shade of purple and the gave swirls into red and black. Then a small slither of black smoke rose up and then vanished in front of her.

"Shimizu" she said dropping her kunai to the ground as it fell into a splash turning into water.

"Shimizu-the clear water poison" Sakura said ripping part of her ANBU top and wrapping up the crushed bottle and throwing it at a tree.

It smashed into water the same as the kunai.

She looked to the floor again seeing silver. She bent down and picked up a necklace. It looked alot like her own but it was diferently engraved.

Sakura sighed and jumped back up to her hiding place trying to find the strange, cloaked persons chakra.

He was very far away and Sakura wouldn't find him even if she followed , he'd already seen her. She started to jump further into the forest that surrounded the sound like a mot or a fence.

"I wonder what they're trying to hide" Sakura spoke aloud a smirk growing across her face.


	3. But sasuke is gone

**Wait for me-Chapter 3**

**"But Sasuke Is Gone.."**

**Itachi**

Itachi stopped and saw the young ANBU member hid in the tree. Her watched as her long pink hair lay pressed against the trunk of the tree"Pink hair? How strange" He though. She was up high away from him but this wasn't a problem. "Obviously hiding isn't one of her strong point's" he said shaking his head lightly, His long dark hair falling in his face and swaying from side to side. He sighed and pulled a kunai from inside his large cloak throwwijng it high in the air. It stopped in front of the young girls face, barely missing her. "As I thought, This is no problem" He thought as he saw her fall backwards slightly. Itachi raised an eyebrow. This ANBU either hadn't been trained veyr well or was an idiot when it came to chakra control. He reached inside his cloak once more and produced a tiny bottle that he held at a distance from himself as to not get turned into a puddle of water.He'd already known alot about medicines and had espicially studied poison when he was young. He hoped that this pink haired ANBU would know nothing about poisons or medicines.

He heard the girl suddenly move and dropped the small bottle making it smash into small pieces all over the floor.

Itachi jumped into a nearby tree and sent a clone jumping off in the direction of Konaha while he hid his chakra and watched the young girl.

She flew down from the tree and looked puzzled as she bent down picking up the bottle and examining it. Itachi eyes intently watched her waiting for her to suddenly splash into a bottle of water. he waited a little longer but she never did so he closed his eyes to check where the clone was and noticed that his clone had ran into an obstacle.

A few men from the village hidden in the water were challenging the clone, throwing kunai's un-knowing what Itachi was capable of even if it was a clone.

He looked back at the young ANBU girl. He was very interested in her as she seemed to know a lot about poisons and how they worked. He watched her as her kunai splashed into water. He had surely misunderstood this girl.

"Shimizu" she spoke. Her voice was light and entrancing.

"Shimizu-the clear water poison" she said .

He didn't question her knowledge she seemed to know everything there was to know about poisons even if she had only named one. He wondered how intelligent she was. She knew a lot about substances but didn't know the basic rules of hiding herself. Her chakra was well hidden but she, unfortunately, was not.

He chuckled to himself .

"I'm sure I'll be meeting with you again ." Itachi said before turning and speeding off.

He jumped through the tree's to where his clone has successfully gotten rid of the three men that had rudely challenged him. They were obviously lesser men than they looked. Itachi's clone dissapeared and he watched as the three men lay grunting and groaning on the grassy floor taking in their very last breaths. Itachi smiled at his work. He had perfectly trained himself to kill using a clone if he was not able to complete the job himself.

Killing was like second nature to him now.

He jumped quickly in front of the huge gates of Konaha where so many of his memories filled his mind. Painful memories that he'd wished many times would vanish. H'ed wiped them away many times but felt them flooding back with every look at them through his ruby red orbs.

His family's happiness and many good days he spent with them they all entered his mind, tugging at his brain to open them from the locked away place he kept them in. It then started the memories set free to roam through his mind.

He remembered killing them. The sound of his mothers scream piercing through his ears and into his brain like a knife. It slowly severed his feelings further.

At the time nothing mattered to Itachi. His family needed to die for him to live. He was hated throughout his family, throughout Konaha.

The only person who would ever see him as a person was his mother, to her he was not a tool used to for destruction.

She knew he was skilled but she never saw him as anything than a wonderful son. Her first born child and the one she had a lot of trust in.

Itachi grabbed for his mothers necklace.

It was the one thing that he took from her before he killed her. His now last comfort.

"_Itachi-san please stop" His mother screamed. Tears poured down Itachi's face as he raised his sword._

"_Itachi no. Itachi stop it" _

_Itachi looked at his father. The person who had pressured him._

_The man who used his life to live out in his immensely skilled first born. _

_The man who had driven Itachi to madness. More tears poured down Itachi's face and his mothers screaming increased as he thrust the sword into his Fathers chest. Her eyes filled with tears and her body quivering as if she could feel the pain Itachi's father had gone through._

_His father screamed out in agony and his mother cried, screaming at the sudden happenings_

"_Itachi why are you doing this?" She asked shaking in fear, sadness overwhelming her._

"_Give me the necklace Ooka-san" Itachi ordered. Placing his blood stained hand in front of his mothers face. She looked up Itachi and saw the man he was trying to be. She knew why he was doing this but she had wanted to keep Itachi as the wonderful son he'd always been. She quivered more hearing her Husbands wheezing lungs breathing in and out trying to keep themselves going even with the puncture they had endured._

_His mothers hands were tied behind her and she lowered her head to Itachi closing her eyes not to look at her Husband._

_Itachi dropped his sword to the floor and it landed with a loud clatter. His mother flinched suddenly wondering if all of this was stopping but she knew once Itachi had started a job he would surely finish it._

_He stood behind his mothers kneeling body she was panting heavily and he could tell her eyes were closed._

_He took a kunai and thrust it through the ropes that restricted his mothers hands._

_She stretched her fingers and wringed her wrists.  
Itachi returned in front of her picking up his sword and placing it underneath his mothers chin._

_One swipe could have easily killed her but he waited as she held out her necklace for Itachi. He glared at her tears rolling down his cheeks and he lowered his sword._

_His mother cried._

"_Itachi my son." She said her hands reaching out for him. Itachi looked at the corpses that lay at his parents door and then to his fathers mangled body. He stared at his mother who was on her knees wishing he would stop, he felt powerful._

"_Please Itachi" She pleaded at his feet._

"_Ooka-san. I love you." Itachi said. He raised his sword and looked at his mother while she was living for the last time._

"_You're a good boy Itachi" She said closing her eyes and stopped shaking._

_Itachi lowered his sword and thrust it into his mother chest, She coughed and drops of blood hit the floor by Itachi and slightly hit his shoe._

_His mother led on the floor her chest covered in the red liquid that slowly dripped from her mouth. Itachi fell to his knees and picked up his mothers silver necklace._

_It was a small locket that had pictures inside it and a careful Uchiha fan carved in the back._

_The pictures were when Itachi and Sasuke were young._

_The first picture is of Itachi , The second of Sasuke, The third of them both And the fourth of Itachi's father, Fugake._

"_You don't deserve to be in this locket Father. Fugake-teme" _

_Itachi place the necklace round his neck and left leaving the sword in his fathers hand._

Itachi was waiting for the cold silver to grace his fingers but didn't feel such a thing. Instead he felt, nothing.

He looked down at his muscular chest.

Nothing.

He checked his pockets for the locket that was so special to him. They felt, empty . They had no silver locket in them . Itachi's heart missed a beat. It was. Gone.

He shook of his pain. He didn't feel anymore.

He had no emotions to share ,he was Uchiha Itachi and he didn't need anyone or anything.

He had one purpose in Konaha. To kill his brother, Sasuke Uchiha.

Itachi quickly disguised himself too look like normal Konaha town folk. He didn't want to cause suspicions.

He felt stupid wearing anything other than his usual black and red get up and any colour apart from black, blue or red didn't suit him at all. All his life those were his three primary colours.

He first transformed into one of the troublesome men who had attacked his clone earlier and walked into Konaha.

He was expecting to be looked at suspiciously and felt he had to be on guard but the people of Konaha had their usual smiling faces. It was just like when he was a child.

The place looked like it hadn't changed at all, He walked around looking at the familiar scenery. "Home" He thought.

He walked un-knowingly his mind swinging from past memories and reality.

"No" He told himself. He wouldn't let himself feel. He wouldn't let himself love or cry or feel guilt. The only thing he would feel in life was hate which he'd started to forget.

He felt nothing , emotionless to everything around him.

Suddenly he felt a droplet of water on his face. He looked to the sky and saw tiny rain drops falling . They woke him quickly from his thinking.

He looked around him and fell startled at his surroundings.

The Uchiha mansion was in front of him , It lay un-touched by anything . Itachi felt the gates and grazed the Uchiha fan carbed into the large cement gates with his finger.

He snapped out from the day dream that he was having. Maybe it was being back in Konaha, but everything here seemed to bring back memories and make Itachi stray from his purpose

Nothing he did or said felt like it usually did. There was no coldness all around him and he could feel a slight smile pulling at the sides of mouth as the sun shone upon his silky black hair.

He saw a shop nearby and un-less things had dramatically changed everyone in Konaha knew everyone else, and their business. He knew his auntie had always been nosey and wanted to know everything. He used to laugh at her when his family would go visit her. She would sit and ramble to his mother for hours about the person that she'd once bumped into at the supermarket. His mother never really cared but was polite because it was her sister.

Itachi walked inside the shop and looked around for someone. It was a book shop and looked very empty so Itachi gazed at some of the books.

They were in their usual categories; Ninja skills, Children's books, Life after death and then on the far side in the corner was "Mature reading".

Itachi smirked slightly and shook his head.

He then noticed an old man behind the desk with his eyebrow raised at Itachi.

This didn't affect Itachi, wherever he went there was someone who stared at him, though , he thought it might have been the fact that he was the only person in the shop and that he was slightly chuckling to himself.

He shook off the mans glare and walked closer to his worn, wooden desk.

"Yes?" The man asked his eyebrow slowly descending from it's raised position.

"I was looking for someone, I'm new here" Itachi wasn't used to conversation. He barely talked to any of his comrades they didn't need talking too, they just knew what they were doing.

"Who was it you were looking for Son?" The man asked. Itachi assumed this man was the shopkeeper, but flinched at the shopkeepers attempt at friendliness by calling him "Son".

Itachi took a deep breath.

"I'm looking for-" Itachi hesitated, He found it hard to talk about his deceased family let alone his last remaining living member.

"Go on" The shopkeeper said , giving Itachi a weird look wondering why Itachi's gaze had drifted in to space.

"He must be thinking" The shop keeper thought.

Itachi snapped out of his day dream.

"Sasuke, Sasuke Uchiha" Itachi said.

It pained him to say the name. He loved his brother still but for Itachi to be happy Sasuke must die.

The shop keeper looked confused. "But Sasuke is gone" ..


	4. Somehow this wasn't going to be easy

**Chapter 4**

**Sakura**

Sakura's been looking for Sasuke for a while bear that in mind!

"Stupid Sasuke" She said kicking the ground beneath her feet. "You had to go run off"

She sighed looking up at the grey sky above her. The clouds were full to burst with rain at any time.

Since her strange encounter with the cloaked man she'd felt determination to find Sasuke. She was drained of energy but had improved greatly in her determination levels.

She reached into her pocket and felt the cold silver against the tips of her fingers. It was his necklace, she reached up and looked up at it. "A locket?" She asked herself.

She looked around and sat on the floor.

It was cold in the Sound village and had started to snow a day or two once she'd properly arrived. She brushed her hands against the cold and snow and felt the crisp blades of grass hiddens by their white covering.

She propped her back against a tree and dangled the beautiful locket in front of her.

She tried to carefully pry open the little lock, It didn't look difficult to open and truth be old was quite old and in need of cleaning. She placed on of her nails in the little dent between the two pieces of metal. It didn't open and her face fell over with frustration.

After trying several times she gave up.

"Whatever's in there is well hidden" She turned the locket to look at it's back.

She touched the fan that graced the back of the silver locket , It was now warm from the heast of her hands.

She remembered the look of the fan, it was well known to her but she had trouble placing her finger on it.

Sakura noticed the snow hadn't stopped this morning and she placed the locket back into her pocket carefully, She didn't want to tangle up the chain.

She looked around smiling at the snow. It was beautiful falling around her like wishes or falling pieces of clouds.

The trees looked black and all around her was white, It was like a fairy story or something that fell out of a black and white picture book.

The cold surrounded her and suddenly she felt very un-easy about her surroundings.

The snow started covering everything around her with white, like a sheet covering the blackness of the trees or everything was being sucked up and there was nothing left. She closed her eyes and wished for someone to help her. She crossed her fingers pleading to no-one.

Names of possible people ran through her head. She took a steady breath and felt dizzy, she opened her jade orbs to look around her. Still nothing, she closed them again.

She thought of all possibilities available to hear. She could think of no-one available. For once in her life there was no-one to save her. There was no-one to tell her it was okay and that they'd be there soon. Now she was alone. A sliver tear fell down her face. "Sasuke" She whispered her eyes closed and her hands cupping her eyes.

She opened them again. There was nothing, everywhere she looked was covered with white. She stared harder seeing that the only objects in colour were herself. She took a deep breath. "Stop this Sakura" she told herself out loud. Suddenly she turned hearing very faint footsteps ,a figure was walking towards her and surely enough it was Sasuke. He held out his arms to her and she smiled wanting to see again the face she was looking for. He was far away but walking slightly faster to get to Sakura, he then fell to the floor and a dark red liquid staining and sinking into the snow beneath him.

Sakura blinked feeling her heart miss a beat. "Sasuke" She whispered again. He was shaking and trying to prop himself up on his arm. He gasped searching for air and Sakura ran to him as fast as she could, He seemed to get further away the more she ran. She cried and the snow graced her face making her tears feel like tiny drops of ice and she longed for new, salty tears to sting her eyes and fall warmly down her cheeks. She was getting nearer to Sasuke when he fell his body lay on the floor hopeless and the blood the surrounded him grew intensely. His fist were clenched and she could see his chest slowly inflating itself.

Sakura fell to her knees next to Sasuke who spluttered out while his chest deflated. She moved a few stray strand of black hair from his face.

She cried silently letting her emotions fall out in waterfalls around Sasuke and herself. He chuckled slightly making Sakura look up at him.His laugh increased evilly and Sakura's heart ached. "Why is he doing this to me?" she asked herself.

"Sasuke. Please"

He said nothing

"Don't leave me, Don't leave me again" She said holding her hand to her heart.

He coughed and blood splattered in front of him slowly sinking into the snow. Sakura grabbed him and hugged him tightly feeling his warm blood on her hands. it dripped through the gaps in her fingers and made her hold him tighter.

"Don't leave me Sasuke" She whispered repeating the phrase constantly.

He chuckled again.

"Sakura look at me" Sasuke finally spoke, Sakura was taken aback she'd forgotten the rough sound of Sasuke's voice.

She cried and let go of him his blood dripping of her hands. She took grip of his shoulders and slowly turned him . She took deep breaths that seemed to last for a lifetime and screamed as she saw him. She expected to see Sasuke speak his final words to her but she turned his to say he had no face he looked like a mannequin. She screamed and scrambled back wards her eyes brimmings with fresh salty tears as she pound her fists into the snowy floor.

Sasuke got himself up and the bleeding pumped down and started covering his legs . He walked closer to her and she felt her breath hitch in her throat.

She could see the lines of his face underneath the mannequin's mask, He was smirking at her despair. "I wanted you too see me die." He said grasping her long silky hair and tracing it through his long fingers. Sakura quievered under Sasuke's touch. "Don't look for me" Sasuke spat at her coming gradually closer to her and she closed her eyes tightly.

He was behind her and he raised a kunai to her throat.

"Go away Sakura" Shekept her eyes tightly shut and felt them filling with thoughts against her own will. She watched in depsair as Sasuke made her see herself as a child getting beaten up and picked on , then her parent's gruesome death. She could feel the tears roling down her cheeks but she stayed still not wiping them away or showing she was weak to Sasuke.

She saw Naruto getting his picture taken for his ninja profile and then him as a child being alone and rejected. The thoughts lasted longer than forever and she felt her heart aching for things that had happened to her and her friends. For the last time she watched sasuke leave Konaha, he whispered the two words that meant everything and nothing to her. "_Thankyou_"

"Kill me please Sasuke, Please" She screamed out loud her eyes still closed.

He removed the kunai and knocked the back of her head leaving her un-conscious

---------------------------------------------------------------.

Suddenly she felt someone gently waking her. Sakura slowly opened her eyes expecting to see the pure white snow and an un-dead Sasuke, yet she was greeted by a girl quite alot younger than herself.

"Lady are you okay? Shall I call My Momma-san for you?" The little girl looked worried and she tossed her head in all directions looking for her Mother. Her green hair flew around freely and rolled off her shoulders when she stopped.

"Ritsuko" Called someone in the distance. Sakura looked at the young girl who smiled grandly.

"That's my momma-san" She explained. "Lady how come you were sleeping here? Poppa-san said you've been here since this morning so we came to find you" Ritsuko said holding Sakura's hand and gently tugging at it.

"Well thank you very much" Sakura said smiling at the young girl.

Soon Ritsuko's mother was greeting Sakura too.

She was a pretty woman and Ritsuko looked just like her mother.

Ritsuko tugged at her mother's arm and her mother looked down at the young girl. Ritsuko beckoned her mother and her mother bent down as Ritsuko whispered something to her.

Sakura yawned and stretched she felt the back of her head where Sasuke had knocked her un-conscious.

She felt no pain and she looked at her hands, they weren't covered in blood and when she took a second look nothing around her had snow on it.

"A dream?" She thought.

Ritsuko and her mother both smiled at Sakura who smiled back politely. She was un-sure of why they were smiling but she thought she might as well. She waved at them and walked away.

Konaha seemed the safest place for Sakura, she could re-cover slightly and then go back out to find him.

"I told you Momma-san , That's Sakura Haruno of the leaf village. Naruto Uzamaki's team mate" She heard Ritsuko say in the distance. She chuckled.

"Naruto's more famous the he thinks" She thought shaking her head.

She then jumped in to a tree and headed back to Konoha passing many familiar sights and she shook off the memories that kept replaying in her head. "Thanks Sasuke" She scowled.

**Itachi**

**Last encounter**

"I'm looking for-" Itachi hesitated, He found it hard to talk about his deceased family let alone his last remaining living member. 

"Go on" The shopkeeper said , giving Itachi a weird look wondering why Itachi's gaze had drifted in to space.

"He must be thinking" The shop keeper thought.

Itachi snapped out of his day dream.

"Sasuke, Sasuke Uchiha" Itachi said.

It pained him to say the name. He loved his brother still but for Itachi to be happy Sasuke must die.

The shop keeper looked confused. "But Sasuke is gone" ..

Itachi looked at the old man confused ".. He's gone?" He whispered to himself.

Itachi coughed. "Are you sure?"

The old man stared back at Itachi an evil grin gracing his wrinkled face. "Yes, He's gone"

Itachi felt confused.

"When? How long? Where's he gone ?" Itachi asked.

"You're starting to sound like you care for this boy?" The old man said leaning on his hand, raising his eyebrow at Itachi again.

Itachi returned to his ignorant pose and coughed.

"The boy, Sasuke. He has something that belongs to me" Itachi said so convincingly that he almost believed it himself.

"Well I'm sorry Sir but the 'boy' you are looking for hasn't been found in four years. No idea where he was going or when he's coming back ."

Itachi sighed.

"Thank you for your help" Itachi said staring at the counter in front of him before walking out. He felt the old man glaring at Itachi's back. He had been polite on purpose but he was a_ little_ rusty.

The air outside the shop was warm but he could feel rain in the clouds. He looked around him at the dark clouds that loomed above him. He smirked very slightly.

"Well Sasuke, Look who the missing nin is now" Itachi said leaning near the wall overlooking the Uchiha estate.

Itachi was on the brink of giving up, Sasuke was out of Konaha and he felt like he was wasting his time to keep disguising himself in different villages to find Sasuke.

He wished to kill him, obviously, but all this hassle for a boy who wasn't looking for his older brother anymore.

Sasuke was away from Konaha, following a road like Itachi had. Yet Itachi had never thought twice about coming back to Konaha, Once leaving he felt he was rid of the place that filled his head with pain and sorrow but with the recent events he found himself considerably wrong.

He walked forward in to the main street of Konaha and looked around at everything that was so familiar.

Passing shops as he slowly walked through the streets dragging his feet behind him slightly. He wanted to find Sasuke but it had proven to be a harder task than just turning up to Konaha and having a battle with him. He passed a ramen stand where he'd eaten with other ANBU when he'd first joined them, towards the end he ate alone in the forest.

He kept walking seeing the end of the long street and a flash of blonde hair.

"Kyuubi" He whispered lowering his head.

The suddenly it struck him, the idea that would lead him to Sasuke.

"Why not just follow a member of Sasuke's own team around , They'll surely look for Sasuke some time. How ever long it takes, They cannot live knowing that their team member is plotting against them" Itachi thought.

He saw the Kyuubi run wildly from one shop to the next pulling a beautiful girl with midnight blue hair and creamy coloured eyes.

She seemed to be lagging back from the Kyuubi a bit but Itachi watched as she flew around like a rag doll. She didn't try to keep herself stood still and nor did she really protest against ihm . She politely gave the odd - _"N-Naruto-kun .. S-slow down" . _Which obviosuly didn't seem to work.

It was the perfect plan, If he followed a team member of Sasuke's even if they didn't go looking for him they'd have information on his whereabouts, he hoped.

He scanned his memory looking for the Names of the two team members who were so infamous.

"The Kyuubi. Uzamaki's son." Itachi thought hard.

"Naruto Uzamaki" He said smirking. "I think I've given him enough hassle" Itachi said his smirk growing into a grin as he still watched the hyper active Kyuubi run around wildly.

He thought again for the other member. "Pink hair" He said trying to pin-point the female ninja's name.

He ran through girls names he could think of and laughed.

He'd never been very popular with the lady's so It was hard for him to think of names if he never knew many in the first place.

He passed by houses wondering where she was if he watched her someone was bound to say her name and pink hair wasn't an every day thing so he knew when he'd found her.

Suddenly he past a small house. "Haruno" He read.

The name was familiar to him and he took a while to stare at the house.

Suddenly he was surprised as someone led their hand on his shoulder.

"No-ones there right now" They said. Itachi turned to come face to face with a middle aged man who was extremely tall.

Itachi looked back at the house. "Who lives there?" He asked the man who had now removed his hand from Itachi's shoulder.

"Mr and Mrs Haruno used to. But the passed away and now their daughter lives there sometimes. Haruno Sakura"

Itachi smirked.

"Thank you" He said turning back to them man. But he was slightly taken aback when there was no one stood in his place.

He shrugged this off as he usually did but smiled.

"Haruno Sakura" He repeated. "So that's your name" He said lowering his head slightly.

He'd remembered seeing Sasuke's team photo once. It wasn't an image that flew in and then out of your head. There was their sensei - Kakashi Hatake who you could tell had a grin plastered across his face , even if his mask was covering it. Then there was the kyuubi who had both of his arms led on the two other members shoulders , one of which being Itachi's younger brother . The one who looked like he could'nt care less if the rest of his team were to die in terrible situations. And last there was the kunoichi . The females ninja with pink hair , although Itachi didn't know much about her he knew enough to know that she wasn't very skilled when it came to jutsu . She seemed to be the brains.

An unforgettable photo , without it he would'nt know how to look out for the kunoichi.

It was decided he would stay in Konaha and wait for her. Haruno Sakura and use her to find his brother. Of course he would use force if it was needed.

Somehow he knew that this wouldn't be easy.


	5. Nothing else matters Guardian Angel

**Chapter 5**

**Sakura**

Last encounter-

She then jumped in to a tree and headed back to Konoha. She passed many familiar sights and she shook off the memories that kept replaying in her head. 

Sakura landed at the gates of Konaha, the failure of her mission resting upon her shoulders. a burden that she surely didn't want to keep. She looked up at the large wooden gates and chuckled. "Home again" She muttered before giving the gates a large push. They opened steadily, creaking at the sudden jolt of movement, she took a deep breath before re-entering Konaha. She wondered how she could tell Tsunade her mission had failed, the mission could've been done. But She couldn't complete it. She felt useless but still willing to try again. Better in formation was needed, the sound was difficult to bear, It was lonely and mysterious and while she was alone she found her mind drifted into dazes of Sasuke and nightmares had taken over her body for days. Yet she loved to be out of Konaha.

She was an angel trapped inside the stone walls of Konaha with no escape plan.

Konaha was slowly turning into winter and the chill of wind was flooding the main streets. Sakura decided she would go to tell Tsunade about her mission before returning to ANBU to tell of her failure. The large Hokage tower casted her mind back the last time she was there and shuddering. She started to climb the hoard of stairs that lay in front of her eyes. The cold bricks and the empty enclosed walls where light never found its way to break through. Almost falling up each step as her body felt heavy and tired from the mission. she hauled her body to the top panting like her breath had vanished and she was having an asthma attack. She knew she should've taken the easier way. "Every time !" She said shaking her head yher breath quickly returning to it's calm, normal state.

She blinked when looking up to see Tsunade stood in front of her. Her eys filled with worry pearing down at the tired Sakura who was sparled over the floor. "Sakura-san back so early?" she asked her hands glowing with chakra thinking Sakura was hurt.

"I'm sorry Tsunade-sama, I couldn't locate Sasuke-kun" She said while heaving her body upwards while Tsunade helped her her pale worried hands keeping a tight grip on Sakura's weakened joints. As Sakura began to walk her face screwed up in an un-pleasant sadness. _Why am I always so useless? ._The soon started making thier way with into Tsuande's main Hokage room.

The walls were adorn with pictures of previous Hokage and honoured Ninja of Konaha. Sakura stood in silence as Tsunade sat down in front of her and waved her hand at Sakura to sit down.

Sakura's muscles ached and she almost completley collapsed once being asked to sit. _Eventually_

She watched Sakura as her eyes were barely holding themselves open over her large jade orbs. Sakura then jolted upright and stared at Tsunade. Her insonmia hadn't stopped and she was more worried about falling asleep more now than ever.

Sakura watched Tsunade fiddle with a few pieces of paper on her table and saw names of ninja she knew on them. Sakura stood up and walked towards the table but Tsunade quickly hid the papers from Sakura. Shutting them tightly away in a draw of her desk.

Sakura hesitated but sat back down. "Tsunade-sama , Is something the matter?" Sakura asked. Tsunade shook her head slightly at Sakura then stopped before smiling sweetly. Sakura's body clenched knowing something was wrong with Tsunade.

She could tell Tsunade wanted to change the subject and felt too tired to argue with her so she started to relay back to Tsunade all the information from her mission.

"Sakura, Did you get close to Sasuke?" Tsunade asked stopping Sakura in mid-sentence.

Sakura didn't quite understand. "In the mission?" She asked.

"Yes, Mission-wise" Tsunade said taking a swig from a bottle of Sake.

"I thought I did but I'm-I'm not really sure" Sakura said remembering her night mare in the snow wishing that she would forget it much easier.

Tsunade nodded at Sakura her long blonde pic tails loosely hung on her front.

She took a deep breath in ."Sakura this has been accepted, I'm glad you have tried out this mission." Tsunade said and Sakura slightly nodded her bangs falling over her headband. Sakura wondered why Tsunade had said "tried out" like it would be an annual thing, for the moment she shook it off but knew she would think about it again.

"Dismissed, Oh and Sakura where are you staying tonight" Tsunade asked.

"Umm I was thinking my ANBU room Tsunade-sama"

"Okay Sakura , there is information there for you" Tsunade said and turned around placing her sake bottle on the table before coughing slightly.

Sakura left and made her way to her ANBU room located at the bottom of the Hokage tower. She didn't understand what Tsunade meant by information. If she had meant mail she would've said.

Sakura forgot this as she un-locked her door and breathed in the familiar sweet smell of her room.

She strolled in and flopped down on her futon, instantly falling asleep with the cool feel of the sheets that surrounded her.

It was all unknown to her that she was being watched closely from a shadow in her room.

"You've grown up"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sakura yawned and stretched as she stood up from her now messy futon.

She blinked an looked at the time. "9:32am" Sakura thought for a second and almost fell back down. She'd slept all night.

In her head she saw Inner Sakura dance around foolishly but on the outside she only showed a sweet smile that only riggled out on some very rare occassions.

She stood an suddenly remembered Tsunade had told her that she had 'information' waiting for her in her room. She glanced upon the wooden table seeing many letters and next to it an un-opened scroll.

"Missions already?" she thought picking up the scroll and letters. She thought to open the letters first and leave the scroll until last.

One by one she opened the letters all from friends around Konaha , then it was time to open the scroll. She held in in her hand hating the fact that once again it was tied with the same coloured black ribbon and held with a small piece of black material, that yet again indicated the S-rank mark. She opened it and glanced at the inkings inside. The message was short and to the point.

"Sakura Haruno of The Village Hidden In the Leaves

I have been informed by the Hokage that you are currently out on a mission to retrieve Sasuke Uchiha and return him back to Konaha. From what I have heard you are travelling alone and I thought any help you could get would be appreciated.

I have information with me of Sasuke Uchiha's whereabouts but it is safer for me to tell you while your in my own presence. We here at the sand will provide you with anything you need please come A.S.A.P.

Gaara of the dessert, Kazekage"

Sakura could feel that this mission wouldn't finish for a long time but she knew the something deep inside was telling her Gaara of the Dessert would help her as much as he could.

She looked out of her window that over looked a wide bariety of Konaha. Thoughts struck her as her eyes wandered the vast amount of land. When Sasuke returns everything would change and he would hate her. He would respect her to be the only nin who could bring him back to Konaha but he would feel failure being in Konaha. resentment is a painful thing an Sakura knew her heart was in the right place but for Sasuke it would be more recognised as a brutal defeat.

She shook off her thoughts turning away from the window. She would do the mission without telling Tsunade, although any mission or details would have probably passed through Tsunade before it was received by Sakura. She didn't care as she started out of her house her ANBU gear stashed in another back and her outfit changed slightly. Out of the Konaha gates for the second time was the only way to find Sasuke, she didn't care if she was declared as a missing nin. She didn't care if anyone would look for her. She was out to find Sasuke. Nothing else mattered.

"Nothing matters" she repeated out loud. "Nothing except Sasuke" The words beat into her mind like they were burning her, marking her and staining her innocent skin.

She only cared for Sasuke and his feelings.

She looked back at the closing Gates of Konaha , although this mission would have more than likely gone through Tsunade, Sakura hadn't made it clear with her or any one else that she would be leaving Konoha. From this moment forth she was a missing Nin whether she liked it or not.

**Itachi**

Last encounter

It was decided he would stay in Konaha and wait for her, Haruno Sakura and use her to find his brother. Of course he would use force if it was needed. 

And somehow he knew that this wouldn't be easy.

He had watched the pink haired ninja come home. He watched her enter her room and look stateful. He felt like chuckling but kept his stern gaze upon her as she stumbled over to her futon and flopped down. He raised his eyebrow at Sakura wondering how Sasuke had put up with her. He shook thoughts of his brother, He even felt himself angered for thinking of Sasuke.

She slept silently and Itachi watched her chest rise up and down as she inhaled. He wanted to block her breathing just too see if she would notice. She was peaceful but seemed like she wouldn't wake up , even if there was a war outside.

The Konaha gates closed behind them both and Itachi sighed in relief to be free again. Being a missing nin was what he was used to and he didn't think that for a second he'd be a loyal Konaha citizen again. He watched Sakura clenching her fists and standing straight. She was plucking her courage he thought. This was obviously the first time she had left Konaha as a missing Nin like himself.

Even though Itachi was wrong, from the way Sakura was acting anyone would think the same. He examined her in her ANBU uniform; she looked clean cut and brought up in a strict manner. "A Rebel?" He thought then inwardly chuckled. This girl didn't look like one to rebel, she seemed the teachers pet, the one who never stepped an inch out of line and passed her Ninja exams with flying colours. Not for a minute would Itachi have known she would be the one leaving Konaha, Of course from his brother he felt it was expected. He was always the rebellious type.

He kept watching her as know she hid her chakra and starting jumping from one tree to the next. Itachi hid his own chakra and started following her, She was slowly jumping at first then fastened her pace looking like a pink flash through the branches. This was no problem for Itachi who kept himself at a safe distance behind her but enough to keep up with her without losing her completely.

Many times Sakura stopped to catch her breath. She never stopped for long and was very determined, Itachi knew this girl was trying her very best and he had to compliment her. Her chakra was un-sensible and she was faster than she looked. Of course she stilled seemed nothing compared to Itachi but she wasn't as useless as she looked at first glance.

Itachi followed Sakura for a few days averting her from trouble and keeping her on the right track. Although he had recognized her as somewhat useful she still seemed lost out of the Konaha walls and she was almost always nearly waltzing herself into troublesome situations.

He had already sent clones out to fend off three possible attackers and avoided her from 7 traps set by other Nin. He knew she was determined but she just wasn't organized like he was. Itachi was thinking of every possible option of her mission. He was looking out for two people.

He was looking out for Sakura being that she was his only ticket to Sasuke, Helping her to not get killed or caught and he also had too look out for himself. Although Itachi knew how to take care of himself he had realized if all of his energy was concentrated on keeping Sakura alive he could possibly be found by ANBU, after all she wasn't the only missing Nin here.

He continued to follow Sakura, many times using the mangekyou to show her that she was going in the wrong direction and he wondered whether she could notice this. Her guard seemed to be up and she was now always checking the area she would rest in before Itachi got the chance to do it for her.

Sakura walked through the trees and stopped to be faced with the same tall man that Itachi had seen earlier and he started talking but from Itachi's position on the tree branch above Sakura he couldn't overhear their conversation. While talking Sakura looked above her various time and the tall man glanced once or twice which made Itachi feel uneasy. Suddenly a kunai was thrown at Sakura while she turned to walk away from this man and Itachi jumped catching the kunai that slightly sliced his hand leaving a few drops of red liquid slowly falling from his hand and dripping to the floor.

The tall man stood in shock realizing this was the same man who had asked about the residence of sakura's house back in Konaha. The man chuckled slightly, "It's been a few days from Konaha shouldn't you be getting her home" He said.

Itachi failed to reply throwing the kunai back at the man he clasped the shiny kunai that pierced in to his stomach.

"I have no patience for people like you" Itachi said. The tall man fell to his knees and coughed up blood the fell onto the blades of grass below him. He tried speaking but all came between large heaving breaths. "Y-y—you –h-have no m-m-mer-cy "He said taking a firm grip on the kunai. Itachi watched as the man was in pain. "Y-y-you –h-have n-no –m-mercy … U-uchiha I-i-tachi" The tall man fell to the floor and his once wheezing breath slowed down to fewer pants. Itachi glared down at the tall man and the wheels that lay in his in-famous eyes began to spin.

He stopped himself; he had no reason to kill this man. He would die anyway so why torture him.

Itachi stood next to the dying man who looked up at him. "I hate to repeat myself. I have no patience for people like you" Itachi turned from the man and slowly rose up his left hand while walking away in which many kunai from all direction fell into the dying man. Itachi turned to face the same who lay lifeless on the floor. "I didn't think you would fall into your own trap. Sound ninja's are certainly going downhill these days" Itachi smirked slightly and realized that he'd been smirking a lot more often lately but shook it off returning to his safe distance behind Sakura who was still slowly walking.

They soon reached the Sand and Itachi disguised himself once again as to not be spotted, more so by Sakura than any other. He watched the kunoichi walked up to the Kazkage's domain and entered. Itachi thought it would be an obvious plan if he would wait outside for her.

After all this was Gaara of the dessert and now also the Kazekage. Itachi didn't want any interfering if he was wishing to have enough strength to defeat Sasuke.

**Sakura**

Sakura giggled slightly. She'd passed through from Konaha all the way to the sand without a single scratch on her delicate skin. She figured she'd been very lucky. "I must have a guardian angel watching over me" She said before smiling and knocking on the large doors in front of her.


	6. I hope you find what you're looking for

**Chapter 6**

VERY IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTEE:

Okay due to recent events i'd reallly like to make this story into a sequel.I've already jotted ideas and stuff and It's starting to sound like a smashing idea. So after you read this tell me if you'd like me to sequel this or to let it finish. 'Cause if you want me to finish this then the end will probably be disapointinly early. Well I think it will .

PLEEEEEEASE HELP !

Love you all for reviewing

Everyone anon.

SweetAssasin

SpeedDemon315

Staind-Cherry-Blossoms

LOVE YOU GUYS! XX

**I hope you find what you're looking for**

**Sakura**

**Last encounter-**

Sakura giggled slightly. She'd passed through from Konaha all the way to the sand without a single scratch on her delicate skin. She figured she'd been very lucky. "I must have a guardian angel watching over me" She said before smiling and knocking on the large doors in front of her.

She closed hereyes letting eyelids fall racefully over her minty coloured eyes. Then opened them againg upon those huge doors that she identified as the Kazekage's domian. Ince she pushed the door she was very much expecting to find that ,like in Konaha, they would be difficult to move but yet they opened smoothly and she smiled. Once the large gates had shut behind her she was expecting to find a huge palace inside, Yet she found two Sand Nin in front of a smaller door keeping guard. She smiled at the guards politely who just kept their stance while the door opened slowly. "How rude" She thought staring back at the guards and poking her tongue out at them.

She stepped through the doors and found herself at a large corridor much like the Hokage's tower design. She looked for the largest door and tapped on it with a clenched fist. "Come in" She heard a familiar muffled voice coming from the inside.

The doors opened slowly and Sakura had to give them a hard push before they joltly opened allowing her to step inside. The idd the same when closing and shut with a large bang that disturbed the Kazekage from looking out of the window.

She looked up at the Kazekage and bowed slightly. Gaara smiled. A/N: Yes Gaara can smile, I know I was shocked too!

He then offered a seat to Sakura which she took and sat down quickly. Gaara's gaze followed her twitching eye movements and sudden flinches. "She seems paranoid?" he thought.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" He asked concerned as he still stared out of the large window.. Sakura shook her head averting her eye to her hands. Gaara could see this was a subject he shouldn't ask her about and carried swiftly on with their conversation.

"Sakura, where are your team members?" Gaara asked turning back to Sakura who looked up aslightly then lowered her head again.

Sakura didn't say naything for a little bit. Gaara knew very well that Sasuke was gone that was the whole reason she was seeking to see Gaara. But he didn't think she'd go anywhere without the safety of Naruto.

"I don't have any Sir" She replied her head still lowered.

Gaara gave a slight nod. Gaara was never a ninja that really needed or wanted a team at his side and Sakura understood this. Gaara knew what it meant to be neglected and alone but strong, He didn't have to depend on other people to help him and he knew without anyone he could still have power. Sasuke shared this feeling of neglect and he knew what it was like to be completley alone.

But then it struck her mind hard. Sasuke was alone, Gaara was alone but once in their lives they'd had family. They'd had someone for a little while to remember happiness. To remember being loved. She though of Naruto, He , like Sasuke and Gaara was alone and neglected. Naruto had no-one his whole life and yet he was a cheery person who didn't seek power or revenge he wanted to make something out of himself.

If Sasuke would've been the same. She would be back in Konaha now with them both. Training or out on a mission with Kakashi sensei.

"You have know been classed as a missing ninja" Gaara said interrupting her thoughts.

Sakura didn't reply. he was still stunned about Sasuke, Gaara and Naruto being so similar.

"Am I correct?" He asked sitting back down to face her. Sakura nodded, keeping her head lowered. Gaara gave another nod and produced a file of paperwork that was in a draw of a bookcase.

Sakura looked up to see the file was much larger than expected and she watched in awe as Gaara slid the pages over to find what he was looking for. "Sasuke" Gaara whispered and the pages turned and opened flat by themselves showing information on Uchiha Sasuke.

"I have some ninja on guard everywhere Sakura. Obviously some are immensely more skilled than others and recently it has come to my attention that I have lost nine men in the last three days. All of these men were my best skilled nin. To find the meaning of this I went to the last dying man that we had in our hospital. Nurses and Med Nins had declared him insane but when I looked at him I could tell he had strived to stay alive. Possibly watched his ocmrades die around him. The only clue i got from this man were the two words he repepeated over and over, 'Uchiha Sasuke' and I have reason to believe you are looking for him" Gaara's words struck Sakura hard.

Yet, again she nod her head.

"I don't waste my time on finding people who are a threat to the sand. They find me" Sakura couldn't understand why Gaara talked in such riddles but she understood the best she could. "He's in the hidden mist roaming around with some other men who are un-identified at this point" Gaara said facing the window again.

Sakura started to get up and leave when Gaara stopped her.

" You have been declared a missing nin Sakura"

She stared back at him. His face was always serious since the first time she'd laid her eyes upon him. But now for the first time she could tella glint of emotion in his dark eyes.

"I hope you find what you're looking for"

Sakura looked at Gaara as he dismissed her. Mentally, even though she hand't told him, She thanked him. She was very frateful for Gaara and his en to know that they may have seen Sasuke. Even if they had gone through many sacrifices.

She passed the two guards who had been waiting rudely at the door and stormed down to the large gates giving them a push with all her might in which they flew open and one came slightly off it's hinges. The people who were walking past stopped and stared at her but soon she calmed and took a deep breath before going completely crazy.

Luckily she knew which direction the hidden mist was from the sand and headed in that direction. She flew through the dessert which felt all the more chilling and empty at night. The wind blew sand around hitting her legs and he moon cast a shadow on every up-turned layer of it. She watched her own shadow walking forward, her hair bouncing slightly as she walked and the look of her ANBU outfit in the dark. She was ready for anything Sasuke could throw at her.

**Itachi**

Keeping an eye of her walking patterns in an empty dessert was difficult. It was empty so there was no place to hide if she spotted him and everything was covered with a shadow being that it was night time. His footsteps had to be carefully planned out by sound and placed at a distance that she wouldn't find suspicious. Everythin had to be thought about twice.

She walked gracefully, a kunai held to her chest for protection while traveling. Itachi watched her walk into the distance seeing her hair blow in the breeze. She jumped quickly into the first tree belonging to the hidden mist and Itachi followed, inwardly giving a sigh of relief that it would be easier to keep hidden in the trees. He jumped from tree to tree watching her speed ahead nearer and nearer to the hidden mist .

Itachi suddenly felt a jolt in his heart and a pain that surged through his mind. He leaned against a deep heavily panting. The blood he could taste in his mouth was foul and coppery. He spat it out but it was still there, he heaved at the taste and smell of his own blood. The pain kept piercing through his heart and he tightly closed his eyes and for a slight moment could swear his heart had stopped when a deafening scream came stabbing through the trees towards him. His eyes launched themselves open and quickly developed in to the Mangekyou Sharingan.

He flew through the trees at an immeasurable speed towards the shriek that filled his ear with ache and suffering. The blood he could taste in his mouth was vanishing but made him more angry to feel that he had tasted his own blood instead of spilling someone else.

He stopped as in front of him a large man with an uncommon sword stood towering over a young kunoichi. She shivered in her place, shadowed by the great monster who slowly turned to face Itachi.

The large man chuckled slightly his blue skin looking paler in the shadow of the moon. Itachi's face stayed straight and the blue skinned creatures grasped the kunoichi's hair throwing her aside and out of sight.

"Itachi-san" He spoke. His voice was coarse, as Itachi had remembered.

He could see the blue man smirking evilly his with teeth spotlessly shining in the moonlight. "Kisame" Itachi said his head lowered in disgust at the respect Kisame had for women. Itachi's eye flew in Sakura's direction as he heard her soft voice groan slightly in pain. Kisame chuckled.

"Not here to help Itachi-san?" Kisame mocked reaching for his samehada. Itachi hesitated to reply, glaring at Kisame with eyes full of fury.

Kisame turned away from Itachi and walked in Sakura's direction. Itachi stood above them both and Kisame reached for Sakura's neck pulling her up to her feet. He watched Sakura whimper under Kisame's strong hand and her breath became more rapid as he tightened his hold on her.

She started to whisper something Itachi couldn't hear from his level and he watched as Kisame raised his clenched fist and throw it at Sakura's face letting her fly into a nearby tree and slide down to the floor in agony.

At first she sat still her body slightly quivering in pain before she reached into her pocket and produced a locket that she held tightly in her hand. Itachi watched her as she held it to her heart and cried silently from the pain. Kisame's samehada unwrapped itself as he walked toward Sakura. She opened her breathtaking sea green eyes and stared at Kisame but as tears started to roll down her cheeks Kisame lifted his sword above her. Kisame picked her up by her neck for the second time and she whimpered in pain more at the movement of the bones underneath her flesh.

"Weak" He spoke before slicing his samehada across Sakura delicate, clothed stomach.

She screamed in pain, her chakra drained and her body open and bleeding plentifully. Itachi clenched his fists inside the large sleeves of his cloak. He had wished to help her for if Kisame klled her it would be the end of the line for them both.

Kisame dropped Sakura and she fell to her knees screaming and writhing in pain on the floor. "Stupid Kunoichi" Kisame said dropping his samehada to the grassy floor and making a few hand signs before placing to fingers on Sakura's neck.

Itachi's eyes widened at Kisame who never used any other techniques usually.

Sakura's screaming stopped as she laid on the floor her body twitching in the slightest amount ,yet tears still poured down her cheeks. Suddenly all fell silent and Sakura's breathing returned to its normal tempo. Kisame chuckled as the kunoichi's eyes closed and her chest deflated itself.

Itachi took a swift jump to Kisame who stood looking at his work.

"Who is she Itachi-san?"Kisame asked wickedly glancing at Itachi whose eyes were fixed on the kunoichi's enclosed hand and the silver chains that were entangled in her long ,manicured fingers.

Itachi looked up at Kisame whose face was still grinning.

"She deserved to die" Kisame spoke his samehada tightly gripped in his left hand Itachi failed to reply as he looked in Sakura's direction. He could only barely she her hand as the rest of her was hidden behind a tree. For all Itachi knew she could already be dead.

"Are you threatening me Itachi?" He asked as Itachi remained in his natural ignorant way.

Itachi flashed a glare at Kisame who chuckled again.

"What was she to you?" Kisame asked.

Itachi's eyes focused more on Kisame's beady black eyes. Kisame walked toward Itachi his samehada behind him.

"Itachi has found a playmate I presume" Kisame said smirking.

Itachi's hand flew out grabbing Kisame by the neck forcing the tall man to bend over. Itachi pressed his thumb on Kisame's throat causing Kisame's mouth to open and splutter.

"Didn't your mother tell you to keep your moth shut instead of leaving it gaping open?" Itachi mocked still keeping his straight face as he pushed harder in to Kisame's throat. Kisame shook and Itachi could feel the bones in his neck retracting and then shooting back out. Kisame's eyes brimmed with painful tears from biting his lip to stop from screaming in pain.

"S-stop Itachi-san" Kisame pleaded falling to his knees. Itachi held Kisame's neck in both hands tightening his grip until his pale hands shook. Kisame words were now coarser sounding than ever and Itachi could hear the blood gurgling in Kisame's throat.

"What are you doing?" Kisame asked. "Why does she matter" He said racking his brains for the answer.

Itachi's hands suddenly loosened. "She's a tool" He said re tracing his grip on Kisame neck. He didn't squeeze to kill him but kept him at a place where he wouldn't struggle in pain.

"She's leading me to Sasuke" He said his fingernails pushing into the back of Kisame's neck.

"What is her name?" Kisame asked. Itachi blinked.

"Sakura" He said glancing to her.

He released Kisame suddenly in which Kisame stood now towering Itachi. He looked out in to the distance and Itachi could see the redish lines that bruised Kisame's neck.

"Have you ever loved Itachi-san?" Kisame asked.

Itachi didn't answer. He felt this question was irrelevant but Kisame smiled lightly. "Don't let her fool you" He said.

Itachi gave smirked. Before thrusting a kunai into Kisame back. "Don't let yourself be fooled" He said smirking more now.

Kisame fell to his knees and Itachi kicked Kisame to the floor then pierced several kunai into his front.

Kisame bit into his lip and a small trail of blood rolled down his mouth.

"I must follow her" Itachi said placing his foot on Kisame's upper body. Kisame's lungs were struggling to cope and his body retracted in and out violently.

Itachi raised his leg and placed it on Kisame's struggling chest pressing down with his foot.

Kisame's jaw was clenched and blood ran down one side, he coughed and spluttered the red liquid reaching Itachi's cloak. Itachi sent Kisame a look of pure disgust at this and pressed his foot down harder.

He reached inside his cloak for a senbon which Kisame shook his head at but Itachi launched the senbon straight in to Kisame's bruised neck. Kisame shrieked in pain as his neck throbbed being over taken by poison.

Itachi removed his foot in an attempt to walk away from Kisame who was now having fits and clutching his neck yet Kisame's other hand grabbed Itachi's ankle. Making Itachi stop and look back at Kisame his eyes full of the purest hatred.

"You disgust me Itachi Uchiha" He said splutter and coughing all over his own hands. Itachi gave no response as he glared at a helpless Kisame.

"You have a soft spot" Itachi's eyes widened at Kisame the pure hatred boiling ready to spill over Kisame.

"For that idiot kunoichi" He said before letting go of Itachi's ankle and fitting worse now than before.

His arms moved by themselves while his legs shook and his eyelids flickered.

Itachi looked back at his patner that had stopped fitting and almost looked like he fallen asleep. Kisame choked suddenly and turned away from Itachi. "I'm sorry Kisame" Itachi said glancing back at him again.

His partner had always been there but now he was nothing more than a past memory lingering in Itachi's mind.

Kisame laid there in Itachi's mind as he silently walked away. He was there waiting with Itachi's family. In Itachi mind long ago he had seperated the family he loved and them family that had disgusted him. Normal folk that died had no place in Itachi's mind but Kisame did. He had been like a servant to Itachi and Kisame stood close to Itachi's mother.

Itachi smiled. For killing his partner, Akatsuki would want him dead but yet again he knew that for himself he was doing the right thing.

"Goodbye Kisame" He said before pacing towards a lifeless looking Sakura.

"Let's go"

-------------

Remember :

Finish this?

or

Sequel this?

THE CHOICE IS YOURS!

:P

RYOUKOx

But i'll have to know pretttty soon :P


	7. She was beautiful

**Chapter 7**

**No doubt about it, She was beautiful.**

* * *

Still important Authors Note! 

For those of you who told me to sequel I think I will now :D But keep sending me your views on everything if you can , theyre much appriciated :D . Also sorry if this chpaters a bit short it seemed alot longer before I added the doc. lmao! 

And I'm also sorry 'cause the bathroom scene Is alot shorter than when I first wrote it.!

Anywho Love you guys , Reviewers and general readers :D

Oh! and btw this chpater seems to keep messing up for no apparent reason. I've deleted it and reposted but Hmm . Is it working for youu?

* * *

**Itachi **

**Last encounter-**

His partner had always been there but now he was nothing more than a past memory lingering in Itachi's mind. 

"Idiot" He spoke before reaching Sakura who lay slightly breathing on the floor. 

Itachi kneeled down to Sakura carefully placing his hand on her moving chest feeling her breath slowly. Her serene breathing calmed the tense feeling that nearly always swallowed him. He watched her closed eyes as they flickered every now and again. she lay undisturbed enough to stay there forever but her fists were clenched and her breath would panic ever so quickly. For minutes she would be still and hardly moving and then he could almost felt her erratic heart beat and intense breath in his own chest.

Itachi gently raised Sakura's head placing his arm underneath her fragile neck while raising the rest of her body up to carry her. She was surprisingly heavy for such a small, petite looking girl but Itachi could manage just fine. He carried her bridal-style to a place where he could sense no chakra and declared it was safe. Placing her softly down by a tree he wished to disguise himself. But he knew from opinions at Akatsuki, that without his robe he was very unfamiliar.Knowing this he took off the heavy cloak and draped it around Sakura disguising her also as her head was tilted down shadowing her face.

She didn't move in her sleep and the only way Itachi could she was still alive was from the seeping blood on his robe and the faint warm breath that slightly brushed his face every now and again. Many times he could feel her shivering and her teeth slightly chattered. He had no idea how to calm her nerves but ignored this knowing her _could _heal her once they were safely located somewhere.

He silently walked into the Hidden Mist keeping his guard up as best as he could with a sleeping girl somewhat helpless in his arms. A task he'd never though he'd come across in his lifetime. He looked to her face and even though her eyes were closed he could tell that her mind was lost in a deep, intensifying bewilderment.

The valley of the hidden mist was fairly miniature and Itachi could see an appropriate place for them both to recover for the night. Thoughts ran through Itachi's head while carrying the inactive kunoichi through the misty, barren valley toward the inn. He wondered what he would do if she suddenly woke up, She didn't know who he was or why he was carrying her. He, for once, didn't know how to explain himself without killing her, she had proved herself to be moderatley more difficult to handle than he had predicted.

In any other situation where he was challenged, usually the subject challenging him was nothing more than a mere task. Yet he needed Sakura for something and killing her would defeat his chances of reaching Sasuke. He could not lose her under any circumstances, however cruical and in the back of his mind he knew that there would be more obstacles for them both to over come.

Her hands kept clenching themselves. Then softly they would release letting her fingers move slightly to the rhythm of Itachi's steady walking pattern. Itachi felt shocked as she grabbed the mesh kind of material that her wore under his akatsuki robe. He saw her face swirl back from it's confused state to the peaceful sleeping look once again as she released her grip on him.

He knocked on the door of the inn in which an old woman in her fifties came out holding a washing cloth and wearing a light blue apron that was untied. Her hair was a wirey grey mess pulled into a loose bun at the back of her neck and her face was wrinkled and old accompanied by wonderful red rosy cheeks. She was shocked to see the young girl but Itachi pulled more of his cloak to hide the intense bleeding from Sakura's stomach.

The woman's cheery grin turned into a look of un-usual confusion as Itachi suddenly spoke to her.

"May we possibly stay here for the night?" He asked shocked at the politeness of his own voice. He had asked if they 'may' meaning the old woman, however inviting and friendly she looked could very easily turn them away with a flick of her wrist. But Itachi was instantly relieved when the old woman smiled and nodded at him. "Is the girl okay?" She asked turning back to Itachi with a key reading 'room four'.

Itachi gave a swift nod.

"She has a weak energy, She's alot like her mother really" Itachi lied gazing at Sakura. He tried looking as caring as he possibly could and it was obviously working as the woman shot Itachi a sympathetic look.

"Oh? Are you her brother?" She asked guiding Itachi up the wooden stairs.

"No, unfortunately she has no family left. I was appointed by her mother to look after her since then we've become more like family than ever, Sometimes she feels like a sister to me." Itachi couldn't believe the lie that was spreading from his own mouth. The old woman smiled at Itachi and opened the door to their room. Itachi thanked the woman before going inside and laying Sakura down on the nearby sofa. He didn't switch the light on; the look of anything touched by Kisame's samehada was not a pretty sight. Especially after it had cut through someone's flesh like it had Sakura's. Itachi could kill very esily but watching someone squirm as their insides were torn apart wasn't his chosen method. That, and he'd already caught a good enough glance as he draped the robe around her earlier. The samehada's brutal ways were enough to turn Itachi's stomach.

He slowly revealed the mess Kisame had made taking a well needed deep breath. Itachi's robe stuck to Sakura's wound from the red liquid and he could feel her flinching in pain over the sudden movement. He could feel the dampness on the cloth and could smell the blood that soaked his robe, he felt like shuddering as he was possibly sensing he couldn't heal her. She was badly damaged when Kisame had thrown her and it was very likely that she'd suffered internal bleeding. Her breathing had risen to a quick panting mode and her chest moved up and down violently asif someone was pumping air in and then agrresively shovinmg it back out.

Itachi watched her go through this complete agony one rushed ,panicked breath at a time. Her muscles were tightened over her stomach and her face twitched in pain as if someone was torturing just to leave her alone.

Her rapid breathing suddenly stopped and her mouth fell open. Itachi was struck with one of the worst feelings.

_Is she awake? Is she dead?_

He asked stopping himself from removing the cloak wrapped around her waist. He watched her as for a few minutes she lay there without moving and for those few minutes Itachi could have sworn he was waiting a lifetime for Sakura to take that one baited breath.

He continued removing the cloak and she did as she had done once before grabbing his mesh shirt this time with both hands, her body sat upright and pain over ruling her as she whimpered in agony. Her eyes were always closed when she did this to him and her grip was like iron clutching to him.Itachi released her grip from his shirt, being strongr than her obviouly and even though she was a fighter she allowed him to steadily lay her back down.

Soon he had removed his cloak and it was in a heap next to him. He opened a window slightly and gave her open stomach wound a few healing drops which made her body tense up then ease out. She would feel no pain and the healing process could start itself.

Itachi picked up the cloak that lay on the floor on a black and red heap. He stood and started to walk quietly away in to the bathroom that was to the left of Sakura.. He could smell the blood belonging to Sakura that was still sodden on the robe and it made him re-call her screams of grief as the samehada sliced through her peachy white skin.

He looked back at her before carrying on into the bathroom. She'd be completley fine just led there for a few seconds.

He placed the cloak to the side of him and ran some water, waiting until it was hot enough to clean the stained robe. As he placed the cloak into the water it quickly murged into the reddish colour that covered most of the cloak. The mixed blood and water made enticing swirl in the base of the white tub. Itachi watched as the deep red clashed with the clear water. He reached to touch what seemed so entirely perfect for the few seconds where it hadnt clashed with the red liquid. He saw a new drop of blood fall into the crystal consistancy of water and his hand drew to touch it but as his fingers grew closer it had already sank into the water.

He brought up the cloak. The stained water and remaining blood dripped over him sinking into his dark shirt and pants, his breath increased as he threw the cloaked to the side. It hit the wall and left a trail while sinking to the floor.

He looked at his surroundings. He was used to the dark wall of Akatsuki headequaters and never usually went anywhere apart from missions where he left the premises to be surrounded by greenery.For once he was relieved not to see red clouds and black walls everywhere he looked.Instead he was surrounded by the unfamiliar plain tiled walls, fresh and so clean they looked un-touched.

Almost un-real to him. He touched them looking at his own blood soaked hand. His skin had been stained with the red liquid and he could feel shaking in his hand. He pressed his fingers on to the cool tiles hard and his tensed flesh turned white.

Nothing was perfect.

And if anything was , It was only waiting for it's own inperfection.

He was nothing and didn't need perfecting.

He watched his blood covered hands pull over the walls leaving trails behind them. He looked around him into the mirror. His reflection was blurred and he looked as his face was beaded with a cold sweatand his hair was messily loosened over his broad shoulders.

"Killer" He heard himself say. It was inside of his head but feel like someone had gently whispered it while walking past him .

_"He's a **killer**"._

_"Did you hear what happened to them?" Itachi walked past the whispering voices of the Konoha town folk while the discussed the recent happenings at the Uchiha mansion. "Brutally murdered" One said. _

_The painful words span through his head but he ignored them every one. He would not show his weakness for people talking about the death of his pathetic Uchiha clan. The name Uchiha was a well known name and he wanted it to be brought into the dark depths of disgrace. He would drag it with his bare hands if that was necessary._

_Now he had done it, leaving his brother to kill him he carried out of Konaha. A well deserved smirk span over his face as the ran started to harmlessly beat down on his face, It was suprising for the weather in Konaha to change so quickly from sunshine into rain. Itachi's heart took an extra beat. _

_"It only rains like this when the is a great change in the world" Itachi's mother told him and Sasuke and know for the first time he had never believed this saying more. "Great things will happen" He told himself._

He repeated the word that he knew so well in his mind and whispered it before he violently punched the blurred mirror image and watching it as he slowly cracked the image that fell into pieces on the floor and shattered around him. His hand was bleeding and small pieces of glass glittered around him. He knew he deserved much more for killing his clan but the eternal guilt that only his mother had left him was enough to drive a man with the caliber of Itachi's to insanity. He sank to the floor watching blood fall from his hand. He had the blood from two now. Sakura's pure innocent blood mixed with that of a murderer , Itachi.

* * *

**Sakura **

Sakura woke to a very unfamiliar sight. She stared at the man who was crouched over her his bitterly frozen hands applying gentle pressure on her open wound, her stomach. It hurt but she closed her eyes again listening to the faint humming sound and the soft movement against her stomach. Although she was in an intensely scrutinizing pain she looked past it mentally thanking the man for healing her. Suddenly her eyes shot open to look at the man crouched over her.

His incredibly dark hair was long and fell over his shoulders hanging down inches away form her own pink locks. His long bangs were covering his face but this didn't stop Sakura from peering through them while he moved. His face was aged to about 23 but was beautiful, his long eyelashes making shadows over the tops of his toned cheeks making his cheek bones stand out. His eyes were very shadowed but in the very faint glint of light that there was she could have sworn they had a slint tint of rudy running over them. He moved his hand through his frontly bangs and she saw his brow furrowed in concentration. She looked at his head protector_. "Hidden Leaf"_ She thought as he tucked his hair behind his ear. It didn't work but as it fell back down to his face he was obviously ignoring it.

She then noticed the line that sliced straight through the shiny metal of his head protector. She realized that the warm feel on her stomach was gone and an icy hand grabbed her wrist.

The grip was tight and pushed against her turquoise coloured veins.

She yelped slightly and looked into the face of the man who had stopped healing her. His face had adopted one of the most serious look's she had ever seen. He reminded her off Sasuke with his expression, Konaha head protector and similar hair.

His grip increased and she bit her lip. Her head felt blurry and unstable but she ignored this/

For a moment she just stared into his dark eyes that flashed their shade of a wonderfully deep scarlet. This astonished her and she brought her hand up to touch the mans face.

He stopped her.

"I'm not finished " He said simply snapping her out of her gaze. His voice was deep and enticing.

She blinked at him and he pointed at her stomach. She looked down to her stomach in ruins and remembered the slicing of the large sword the shark man had carried.

She winced, grabbing her sides tightly. This made her wince more as she forgot her stomach wasn't healed yet. The muscles there tensed and she had to take a deep breath to clam her nerves.

"Who are you?" She asked him as her arms fell to her sides.

He looked at her, his hands filled with a red coloured chakra. "Everything will be fine in the morning" He said as she drifted off in to sleep.

Her mind wandered as she lay back down. "_Sasuke had said something along those lines once" _

* * *

**Itachi**

She hadn't noticed who he was yet and she was in a state where everything around her seemed to be going at an incredibly slow pace which Itachi was very thankful for. She hadn't flinched when she looked at him and she'd reached for his face affectionately. He could feel the warmth radiating off her hands while reaching for his face and even when he tightly grabbed her wrists she iddn't seem afraid just upset at his sudden confusing movement. Her eyes had been transfixed on his own and her body was relaxed even though he had been touching her and she was calmly breathing even though she was in unbearable pain.

He continued to heal her, watching her eyelids softly close and her body lay still now in lesser pain.

"_You're not as I expected little Kunoichi" _

Soon the deep cascading wound had reduced do a mere thin line tracing over Sakura's stomach. Itachi had worked late into the night repairing Sakura's body as she slept soundlessly. Once he'd finished he picked up her hand lightly and placed it on her stomach. "Finished" He said pretending she could feel it in her sleep. He watched her face that slowly curled into a sweet smile; He covered her over with some sheets that had been lying in the bathroom.

He returned into the bathroom cleaning the walls from his incident earlier. That was something that he needed. An outburst.

Once his robe was cleaned and the bathroom wasn't stained with red liquid he walked back into Sakura's company. She had both hands over her now heeled stomach and her legs were tucked up close to her. She looked comforted and happy, a smiled tugged at the sides of Itachi's mouth but he couldn't let himself smile.

"_Itachi-san" Fugake called his son and he ran over to his father quickly._

"_Hai" He said standing straight up to his father he looked down at Itachi._

_Itachi looked up at his father and smiled at him. His fathers face turned sour, worse than Itachi had ever seen before._

"_Never smile Itachi" Fugake said. _

_Itachi's face dropped and he lowered his head staring at his feet. _

_His father looked down at his son again with disgust._

"_Itachi you are a tool. No son of my will be a weak Nin. "_

Itachi stood up balling his fists at a meory of his father. He hated him for being his father, but those words had been stuck in his head for so long he felt like he'd forgotten how to really smile. The only thing that Itachi could honestly class as a smile was the chilling smirk he would give once finished something for Akatsuki. A chilling grin of recent murder or a slight sense of competition.

Other than that his face stayed straight.

He vowed to himself, the night while he watched the blood seep through his mothers open wounds that for her, he would keep himself plain. He wouldn't smile, his happiest memories were the ones made with his mother when he was younger. Yet he found when he looked at Sakura if he didn't smile at her he felt, empty.

Suddenly he snapped out of his trance and stared back at the girl who was covered in blankets. Her hair was dangling down from the sofa and softly curling upwards.

Her heard her breath slowly in and out.

There was no doubt it about she _was_ beautiful.

* * *

Authors Note:

As before

Sequel ?

Stop this?

Your choice. Review are welcmome and much appriciated and next chapter should be up very soon. Also any ideas for a possible sequel would be great obviously you get credit for helping -

Also Itachi seemed reall nice in this one I think really. Getting to know him kindof, that will possibly be changed . I don't like it when Itachi is obvious XD 

Tehe keep reading :D 

Chapter 8 is up reall sooon 

RYOUKOx


	8. ANNOUNCEMENT!

**Gosh !

* * *

**

I'm confused.

Surely chapter 7 shows 'cept when I check I don't see it.

Explain someone?

Oh My Days and It took me such a long time to write.

I had major writers block XD

Omfg

How disappointing

Don't ya think ?

RYOUKOx


	9. Why save her? Why help her?

**Chapter 8**

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**Inspired by :**

**Within Temptation – angels**

**Sum 41 – pieces**

**Sum 41- Over my head**

**Linkin Park – Part of me**

**Linkin Park – Breaking the habit**

**Linkin Park – faint**

**Linkin Park – In the end**

**Evanescence – Missing**

**Evanescence – My immortal full guitar**

**Evanescence – Bring me to life remix**

**Alexisonfire – no transitory**

**Naruto – Don't cry**

**Naruto – Valley of mist**

**Naruto – Orochimaru fight**

**Naruto – fake wings**

**Naruto – Don't cry remix**

**Naruto – Gaara's theme**

**Naruto – Loneliness**

**Naruto – Sadness and sorrow**

**Naruto – Sakura's theme **

Enjoyy :D

Generally you dont have to listen to them but they just helped me with the feeling of this chapter so feel free to listen to them

**OHOH ! And I'm kinda sorry this one got a little choppy between Sakura and Itachi.**

* * *

**Sakura**

Suddenly she woke from her deep slumber and blinked. The moonlight shone on her face giving her pale skin a glowing white aura. She looked around. Suddenly everything hit her.

She ran her hand to the side of her realising that beneath her wasn't the grassy floor that she'd been in with the Shark man.

She gasped. The shark man. He was nowhere to be seen and the room she was in was warm. She had a greenish blanket covered over her that was soft and cosy. To her left were more gree blankets and two kunai on a wooden table. But the most suprising thing was when her jade eyes wandered down to a man lying down on the floor nest to the sofa she'd been sleeping on.

She began to think the worst wondering if he had drugged her. Maybe he was going to kill her. She hugged herself. Then looked back at the man.

She didn't recognize him in the slightest mainly because he was facing away from her.

She knelt down next to him and could feel the chilling aura that radiated of his body. She felt scared but enticed and as her hand grew closer to his body she wished trace the outline of the toned muscles on his back.

She gently placed her fingers on the moose mesh shirt that covered his upper body. His back tensed and she whipped her hand back to her body sharpish.

She waited thinking that he was going to turn around and face her. Instead he just took a deep breath in and then out again sighing. She gave an inward sigh of deep relief to realize that she hadn't disturbed him from his slumber. She could feel her heart rapidly beating in her chest but it slwoed knowing he was still asleep.

She stood slowly and crept away in to the bathroom making sure that her body kept very still so that she could safely tuck herself away inside the bathroom without being heard. She saw someone's discarded robe lying over a towel rack, It was ruffled and she presumed it was or had been washed seeing a small puddle of water that lay on the tiled floor beneath it.

The large cloak patterned with red clouds which had a white outline, it was very artistic but still simple enough for anyone to pull off whatever season.

She felt the soft material under her fingers and scrunched it in her hands hugging it towards her like a comfort blanket. It sank against her skin like velvet.

She let herself breath in the scent. It smelt just like, just like Sasuke.

Her hands released and it whipped to the floor leaving it's cool mintish smell wavering around her.She dropped the cloak thinking she was yet again being sucked into one of her terrible dreams. She shook her head letting her long pinkin hair slide over her back and slamming her delicate hands against the cold wall.

"Stop it" She whispered. Her eyes closed to check that she could still see the black underneath her eyelids.

Her hands were quivering and her thumbs stroke her palms as she fell to the floor ignoring the pain she felt as her knees smacked down. She could feel the ache on her knees when she slightly moved herself making her hands cover her face while small trails of tears slid out her eyes.

She snapped out of her thoughts as she heard water running in the room next to her. She slowly got back up ignoring her bruising knees. In the darkness she saw the outline of the man pouring a glass of water and taking a sip. He was only slightly taller than her but not as tall as any average man she knew, he turned his head in her direction and her back hit the wall in an attempt to hide from him. She heard his light footsteps come in her direction and she could hear him breathing so close to her she wondered if she'd already been found. _"Found before you even figured who he was nice going Sakura" _Inner Sakura said kicking her legs around.

Then suddenly the breathing that had gotten so close she cloud feel it breathing down her back was gone and she was left in silence. She looked towards where she'd been sleeping and he was led on the floor again like before.

She saw a small book that looked a lot like her ANBU transfer pass. She picked it up wondering if he was ANBU from hidden mist. (A/N: She presumes this is where she is and ANBU transfer books would look just like a passport like Gaara, Kankuro and Temari have at Chuunin exams to pass into Konoha , Geddit?)

It had the word "Akatsuki" scraped into the front probably with a kunai. She drew her finger over the word reading it in her head. _"Ak-at-su-ki"_ It ran through her mind amillion times and seemed so familiar to her like she had said it a million times.

She ignored it opening the small, dirty book. It had a large picture in the inside of the book of a man who looked just like Sasuke , this sent chills around her body and she flipped over the page. She only wished to see Sasuke's face when she layed eyes on him herself. Scaning through the book there was no name on any of the pages but she felt disturbed to see something that was now. at present moment the same as her self, She and He were the same.

"Missing nin" It read under status. She gazed at further Information.

"Home residence : Konoha" Her eyes windened. But as she read further her hands quivered and she bit her tongue.

"S- Class criminal" Was stamped into the back page, dropped the book and glanced back at the sleeping man.

How could someone that looked so peaceful possibly be an S-Class criminal?

Looking at him sickened her slightly. He resembled the Uchiha that she kept inside her heart. He was almost spitting image and she wished to wake him and just tell him how much she hated him and loved him at the same time. But he wasn't Sasuke.

He merely looked like him. He was an S-class criminal , a thought that would surely help her flew into her mind at that precise moment. If he's a criminal anyone capturing him and returning him back to his home town would be classed as a hero and she realized she would much rather to be classed as a hero than a missing nin.

She walked over to the man that lay asleep and while closing her eyes she began to form a seal.

The seal that she'd practiced on for years but never used, in some sick and disgusting way it was a possessive seal that she should have forgotten about.

The seal was one that binded people to whoever made the seal.

Sakura's intention for this seal came to her on the night Sasuke had left; she never wanted to lose anyone she loved. She wouldn't lose Naruto or Kakashi or anyone else for that matter. They meant to much to walk out on her.

Once she'd perfected the skill that night she'd made some unfortunate rules to accompany it.

The only way of removing the skill would either be to make the seal owner to remove it, kill whoever was cursed under the seal, or kill the owner of the seal, yet the last option was somewhat idiotic. Killing the seal owner would also kill anyone under the curse seal.

On perfecting the seal that night Sakura had also added that any injury that affected the seal owner would affect the subject and vice versa.

And so that the curse didn't last forever she had made a 3 month limit to it.

"3 months" she spoke aloud looking down at the pale skin of the mans back.

It was decided and Sakura began to perform the seal. The chakra flew around herself and the man encircling them in a pink energy field.

Once she had finished she smiled at the completion of her work as a small black inking appeared on the inside of the mans exposed wrist.

It was the symbol that resided on the persons chosen headband.

She then crawled back under the blankets on the sofa and tried to sleep.

She then suddenly felt her wrist be grabbed by a cold hand. She flipped her body over to come face to face with the man who she had just sealed.

His face was wonderfully familiar but angered he scared her and the tightening grip on her wrist made her ball up her hand.

"Stop it" She said keeping her cool even though her heart was pounding and her arms were shaking.

He ignorantly stared at her.

"Clever kunoichi" He said glaring at her his expression blank.

"What?" She said through gritted teeth.

"Now you didn't look like the type that could make her own seals up" He said his glare still fixed on her. He threw her hand away and got up. she was surprised that he could mock her even with that plain expression.

"We're leaving" He said.

"I'm not going anywhere with you, If anything your coming with me" She said smirking slightly.

She was ready to tell him that without her he couldn't leave and that she was in charge.

"Don't waste your time" He said stopping her in her tracks.

She swallowed her words that hadn't seen the light.

"Get my cloak" He ordered. His back faced her rudely.

She stood up outraged at how a complete stranger was treating her.

"I'm not your servant" She said glaring at him before picking up the cloak that had once been draped over her stomach from what she remembered.

_He must've saved me, yet he acts so rudely _She thought pulling the cloak out so it was straight. She opened it slowly and neatly stitched inside were the letters that made the words that it her harder than a thousand kunai.

She then dropped the cloak.

"Itachi Uchiha" she read aloud looking at the red letters.

He turned to her looking her straight in the sparkle of her gorgeous green eyes.

She looked at him. He just blinked at her.

She grabbed a kunai and threw it at him which he caught easily between his index and middle fingers.

"Finished?" He asked still un-impressed at her skills and generally unimpressed with her.

Sakura quickly activated a stream of pink chakra.

He grabbed her wrists splitting the chakra. "Don't waste your time" He said only inches from her face.

* * *

**Itachi-**

Her face was angered and she tried activating another chakra stream. He didn't wish to hurt her but if that was what needed to happen he knew he wouldn't hesitate to a great extent.

He needed her yes but if she was going to start causing trouble then he would find Sasuke his own way.

He held her wrists high above her, her feet no longer touching the floor.

She wriggled trying to kick him. His wonderful rube red eyes activated, the small commas swirling.

"Just like Sasuke" She whispered.

This angered Itachi and he threw her up grabbing her neck and throwing her against the wall.

"I'm nothing like my brother" He said.

She nodded knowing this was the only way to stay alive. He let her go and her hands rubbed her bruised neck gasping for air.

"I hate you" she said clenching her fists.

Itachi didn't reply as he placed on his cloak doing the buttons up and standing straight facing the door.

"What's this for?" she said. While he handed her a straw hat.

He began to walk away from her.

"So you don't get caught" he replied.

He began to walk further away from her, hearing no footsteps behind him he looked behind. She was sat on the floor her face buried in her hands. Her pale magenta locks falling over her face.

He wished to ask her what she was doing but just listened closer as she whispered through tears.

He craned his neck in the slightest amount towards her. "_she's wasting time" _He thought.

"Please.. I'm still .. I'm still looking.. Help me…" she said her body quivering with upset.

She continued.

"I.. I don't want..I.hate..I hate him"

She sobbed.

Itachi grew tired of her constant whimpering and turned to face her completely making noise to indicated they needed to be leaving now.

He could tell she was purposely ignoring this and walked towards her.

She tried to shield her self her arms wrapped around her body.

"Please don't hurt me" She whispered.

He continued to stare at her.

"I'm not going to" He said staring past her.

"Well why not?" She asked realizing her head and staring up at him. He paused and turned away beginning to walk to the door.

He heard her gather courage as she began to stutter. "a-a-answer me!" She somewhat demanded.

He stopped outside of the open door. He failed to turn and face her.

But she began to walk towards him. "w-why?" she asked again.

He paused.

"You're not worth it" He answered simply before walking away sliently.

**Sakura.**

Sakura's interested face dropped and she stood in the dark hallway watching him walk away. His robe flowed from side to side gently as he walked. He stopped at the staircase.

Was he waiting for her?

She looked back at the room where she had currently been sleeping peacefully.

She had nothing to bring with her but took the key from the door.

She slowly walked up to where Itachi was standing and stared at him. "Thank you" she said attempting to get along with him.

He simply stared at her before walking down the stairs.

He was rude and emotionless. "Don't you talk?" she shouted at him as he was turning the corner down the flight of stairs. "Yes" He replied. He looked back at her as she had the door in her hand she lowered her head.

As much as she wanted to take this man back to Konaha she knew it would be best not to anger him. Although any pain inflicted to Sakura he would feel the same effects she was sure his pain threshold would be much stronger than her own.

He walked down the stairs slowly and the door in front of him flew open with a large crash against the concrete wall it hit.

He continued walking in front of her letting the rain fall upon his large straw hat and drip down.

She had nothing.

The cold rain pelted against her skin and although she was glad to be healed her body was still weak and restless slowing her down.

She was grateful for the healing he had given her but she was also faced with the fact that her specially made Haruno ANBU outfit had a large gaping hole in the middle where it had been sliced with the shark mans sword.

She ran her fingers over the thin line that scarred her flat stomach.

She remembered the faint mumbling that had been happening while she was passing out. Itachi had called him 'Kisame'. Although her Haruno outfit had now been ruined she mourned for Kisame. Being pretty sure Itachi had known him she wished to ask of him.

Itachi had reduced his pace so that he was only a little in front of Sakura now and she ran to his side. Her eyes stay to her feet before she took a breath to talk.

"Itachi?" she asked not wanting to bring her eyes from the soggy wet mud below her.

He, yet again, failed to reply. She took this as a 'yes?' and carried on. "The shar-".

She stopped feeling cruel for mocking the now deceased Kisame.

She took another well needed breath. "Kisame, did you know him?"

Itachi continued to stare at the rain and muddy ground in front of him. "Yes" He said after a long pause.

Wishing for a more detailed answer she stared in front of her also. Itachi had seemed interested in everything else but her.

"Well?" She asked not tempting a glance at the expression of an unfamiliar uchiha.

"Yes" He said again. Sakura wondered for a moment if the only available answers in his head were 'Yes' and 'No'.

She dropped the subject.

She stared at him. He resembled Sasuke to a tee but was just the tiniest bit off. His face was aged. He looked wise instead of moody yet was a great deal more ignorant than Sasuke. He hid behind his large neck band like he was afraid but didn't show the slightest emotion towards her. His hands were as cold as ice and he had the personality to match.

She gave a face of disgust to him which he would have more than likely saw.

Inner Sakura shouted that she didn't care what she did to him. Her heart told a different story.

She wanted to talk to him , firstly she didn't know why he was there looking afer her in the first place. Nor did she understand that he was a brutal killer, why save her. Why help her?

* * *

**Right sorry that this chpater wnet down the tubes a little bit.**

**I thought it sucked really nothing that interesting.**

**But don't fret because soon is a really upsetting bit. ..I hope lmao XD**

**It's a bit brutal but y'know. That's life :D**

**Thankyou for reading all off you I reall appriciate it. That's what keeps me going when you review and put my story on alert or favor me**

**It makes me smile and I write more to see what you'll do next.**

**So make me happy :D Still asking for ideas !**

**LOVE YOUU !**

**RYOUKOx**


	10. Lord Hokage declared youdead

**Chapter 9 **

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Authors note:

Im asnwer to certain questions-

Sakura does have the healing abilities but usually when she needs to heal herself she cannt get herself up together enough really to know she needs healing.

-

Sasuke has no feelings towards anything in the stroy at the moment but i think I will change that at the end or in the sequel

-

No, Itachi is not going to turn out gay XD lmao !

-

Oh anddd ! Thankyou if anyone helped me with suggestions for sequelling and such it really helps thankyooou.

And i think this was reeeeally short but i'll drag it out a little

* * *

**Sakura**

After walking for what seemed like forever the rain had stopped and bright warm sunshine fell from the sky onto Sakura's skin. she could see that it wouldn't last for long as dark cloyuds loomed around the outside waiting for the right time to burst. She smiled at the sun for the moments that it stayed out warming her. She removed the light coloured straw hat that had been shielding her from the rain and a watchful Itachi looked forward at her as she kept walking along with her hat in her hand by the side of her.

She turned around to see him staring at her. "What?" She asked as politely as she possibly could. Her hat dangled alongside her and little rain drops feel to the floor

"Put your hat on" Itachi said scanning the area while she stared at him her green orbs radiating her confusion.

"Why" She asked. Itachi didn't reply but held his finger up to shh her while he still scanned, his ruby eyes with a very faint glimmer in them which amused Sakura.

"Ohh is it because we'll get seen, we'll get spotted by some scary ANBU. Are you scared your gonna get caught? The great Uchiha Itachi scared of being caught by ANBU?" She mocked leaning back from his finger that he'd pressed againt her deep peach coloured lips.

"I'm not scared and the only one getting caught is you" He said then back flipping himself landing into a tree out of sight.

Sakura looked around worriedly wondering if she'd lost Itachi so quickly.. _"I don't see any ANBU. Even if I do it's a good thing they can take myself and 'Mr.Itachi' back to Konoha where we belong"_ She thought childishly crossing her arms and legs, sitting on the floor with a pout plastered across her face.A thought then crossed her mind causing her to lean back and giggle at the air infront of her. "I'll tell the ANBU your about 5 meters above me, in the third tree to the left of the discarded kunai pouch then shall I ?" Sakura said knowing Itachi's precise location. She could feel him angered that she knew where he was and she giggled again.

"Don't get cocky" He said landing down next to her his cloak falling around him. She wondered why he wore such a stupidly large cloak but forgot this as she laughed loudly throwing her head back. "Like I'm going to listen to you" She said tossing her hair back letting it fall down her back.

She turned around to further this conversation with Itachi but stopped in her tracks upon realising that the mysterious Itachi uchiha wasn't there.

"_He must be near"_ She figured knowing that the seal would only let him travel so far before leaving a burning sensation that decayed through his limbs and she knew when he'd be that for because she'd feel the same effects.

She concentrated letting the ends of her hair rise from her body and her jade green eyes radiated beautifully while her chakra started circulating faster.

She suddenly sensed the common flow of chakra that surrounded her slightly making her find the exact location

"Got you" She shouted triumphantly, jumping up to mock Itachi's failure at hiding. But she was very taken aback to see three beautifully painted red and white ANBU masks surrounding her. They were engraved with hidden mist symbol and for a brief moment Sakura felt the words "Done for" hit down on her heavily. Even without heeing their faces she could somehow tell they had no expression.

She pulled out kunai shakily from her pouch and stood in her fighting stance ready to try her best at deffending herself even if it was against another league of ANBU.

She stared at the ANBU that barely moved from their current position in front of her.They were almost un-real. she pondered this obscure thought as she stood straight and walked towards one . She stood straight at it and raised her kunai before it blew up into a puff of light hazy cloud. Sakura's body tensed and boiling anger flew across her face instantly. She turned throwing the kunai in a loop through the two other fake ANBU clones.

"Dammnit" She whispered to the floor below her.

She turned again feeling another presence of chakra yet much stronger than the other 3 commoners. Itachi stood in front of her staring blankly at her.She compreesed the rage inside of her while inner Sakura ran around inside Sakura's head screaming at Itachi's rudeness to try testing her with fake ANBU that didn't hardly move.

She gathered her courage to talk but ended up just heavily breathing in an attempt to calm her nerves. She still couldn't believe he#d have the nerve to test her abilitie.

"You're annoying" she whispered to Itachi and turned away from him.Letting the words travels through the silence that surrounded them like a blanket.

**Itachi**

Striking him hard her words made him tighten his grip on the shiny silver kunai that was point upwards inside the large sleeve of his robes. He lunged forward grabbing her pink hair tihs made her jerk backwards and he aslmsot cringed when she shreiked at the sudden jolt in her head. He didn't care as e started ringing his arm around her neck, holding her close with the kunai.

She didn't dare move under his grasp as he slowly moved the kunai closer to her delicate, un-touched skin. He wanted to smirk evilly at the girl who he could feel quivering against his chest lightly. She was helpless, no doubt about it.

She was that pathetic.

She was completly worthless.

He picked her up lightly the kunai still nearing her throat. He watched her breath and her chest move up and down irradically, she was constantly whimpering under his grasp as if he would kill her which made him feel more powerful for thie first five seconds before he got bored dropped her to the grassy floor beneth them both. She first looked down at her legs and knees which where obviously in pain at the sudden fall but she looked up as slight rain drops fell around her.

She hid her face with her hands and Itachi stood watching her make a spectacle of herself. He didn't wish to be un-necessarily rude to her but she was taking up time that could have been put into more productive uses. all that she seemed to achieve in her everday life was being picked on and crying, It was like she'd always need protecting.

"I'll be back in a second" He spoke bluntly, looking in the direction of some familiar trees. She nod her head a little cradling her chest and letting tears fall down her cheeks. Itachi saw this and although knowing it was his fault she was crying, ignored her not wanting to get involved with a woman's emotions. Espicially Sakura's.

He headed towards a large oak tree and jumped up into the nearby branch that cracked in old age as he swiftly landed.. The faint sound of wheezing breath greeted him not as warmly as anyone would have wished and he sighed heavily inside the safety of his neckband.

"Pathetic" He said his gaze directed to a faded ocean blue coloured skin tone that was covered in a large black cloak identical to Itachi's, apart from the slight fact that Itachi's cloak was a size or two smaller than the blue mans.He, like the fake ANBU Itachi had made earlier barely moved and although Itachi's never really cared, a dead or dying body of his partner needed to be dealt with.

The blue man continued to wheeze and barely move in Itachi's presence. Remembering his purpose for visiting the blue skinned man Itachi reached inside an inside pocket of the Akatsuki cloak and produced a small bottle, very familiar to the bottle of Shimizu poison Sakura had found.

The bottle had no words on it, just a small inked picture of a medic needle and what looked like a thin piece of thread dripping in some short of dirty green substance.

"I expected more of a fight.." Itachi left his sentence unfinished staring at the shadowed blue body.

"Kisame" He spoke quietly crushing the glass bottle in his hand letting his blood mix with the substance and drip onto Kisame's wounds.

The fish man's rapid wheezing reduced to a normal breathing pattern and he coughed a small amount of blood.

"Sorry Itachi-san"

**Sakura**

Her face and hands were sodden and salty covered in her own shed tears. "_I don't understand"_ She thought wiping her face only to let it her covered again with a mix of bitter rain and deeply emotional tears.The rain had now increased like sha had predicted and she was glad that if it was raining her tears would still look like a natural raindrops and she could cry freely without an real worry.

She had a small amount of thinking time and had figured out that it wouldn't matter if she rebelled against Itachi because he obviously didn't care about her enough to fight back, she'd have no chance in defeaing him.

She then noticed he'd left her alone at a distance where Sakura felt burning in her limbs knowing Itachi was further than the comfortable required distance for them both.

It was cold and her back tingled with a shiver that made her eyes close and the warm tears fall down her cheeks.

She didn't care where Itachi was she just knew that the further he went the more pain she would feel. Her blood was boiling at the intense pain that filled her every muscle.she wished to stop the pain but if she looked for Itachi there was a big possibilitie tyhat she would go the oppisite way and she'd get lost.

She wanted to scream but there was no one to scream to , her mission was to find Sasuke. But she was un-sure if he would even care if she was screaming and crying. She didn't know if he even cared that he was being looked for.

For all she knew Sasuke could have forgotten all about her.

About her and about Naruto, about everything.

She reached in her kunai pouch taking the sharp metal to her finger and slowly cutting into the peachy white skin.

A drop of the darkest crimson blood fell from the open slice on her finger and ran down the sharp kunai side.

The rain was now dying of slightly but she heard a clap of faded distant thunder clap and dark clouds filled the sky in a swirling pattern.

She stood when rustling began in the leaves and wiped her crystal like tears from her cheeks. She quickly fell into her fighting stance when she heard the rustling get nearer.

Jumping into a nearby tree she could only see a dark shadow looking from left to right. She could sense a large amount of chakra but he wasn't hiding himself. She jumped down her arm ringed around his neck and another kunai to his back.

"Déjà vu kunoichi?" she heard the man say. She tightened her grip on her kunai realizing this man was Itachi.

She in the ultimate position, she knew that Itachi had no choice of making any movement unless Sakura released her stance. She felt a smirk tug at her mouth but she denied herself the pleasure of a slight happiness in order to keep her head in the game.

Suddenly she knew it was time to drop her stance as a shuriken came flying through the air barely missing Sakura's face and hitting a tree in font of her.

She turned back and lost all grip on her kunai.

"Ino" She said her face losing all emotions.

Ino stared back at Sakura almost feeling her heart miss a beat.

Her face was a pale white and the other shuriken in her hand was tightly gripped causing a deep red liquid to flow through the gaps in-between her fingers and down to the floor.

Shikamaru quickly joined her falling into the same pale shade as Ino.

For a few moments the four of them just stood there, un-able to speak at first but the when they found the words to say they didn't want to leave.

Soon Itachi took a step to the right drawing all of their attention to him.

Ino and Shikamaru stared in disgust at Itachi un-knowing who he was or what he was doing with Sakura.

**All mixed feeling of everyone**

Shikamaru saw single tears falling from Ino's beautiful blue eyes and their usual spark had dimmed to a faint un-noticeable glitter. He put his hands on her shoulders and she let the salty tears fall down her cheeks as Sakura stared back at them both as if they were foreign to ever seeing her before.

"Sakura" Shikamaru took a long pause after saying her name. It seemed to echo through both his and Ino's empty minds. Once gathering his emotions he continued.

"What are you doing here? Lord Hokage declared you-"Shikamaru couldn't bring himself to say the word.

Beforehand whenever anyone had said a word about Sakura, Ino would have to leave as she mourned for her best friend. In her mind she felt Sakura was gone forever but her heart wanted to keep hold to the last moments they had spoken to each other and memories of sakura's and Ino's weird childhood relationship.

Ino felt the word tingle like it was under her skin and she felt lost when she spoke the ending to Shikamaru's sentence.

**"Dead"**

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	11. What do you want me to say ?

**Chapter 10**

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**Authors note :**

**I feel like the long awaited chapter ten but i'm pretty sure i posted nine not too long ago lmao XD**

**Hope you all enjoy this one , Sorry if it's kinda short but I'll pull it out while publishingg :D**

**Enjoy Sweethearts - RYOUKOx

* * *

**

**All mixed feelings of everyone**

The blood that dripped from Ino's delicate hand was now staining her perfect, pinkie skin and Sakura couldn't avert her gaze from Ino's quivering figure. Her eyes were fixed on Sakura but her hand gripped the kunai tighter.

Ino's mind was filled with un-answerable questions that she wanted to blurt out widly at Sakura in some hope that she would know the answers to them.

Sadly, she knew that Sakura would have nothing to say, She would just stare back at her, empty.

Sakura's gorgeous deep green pools had lost their sparkle and her skin was now a flawless white instead of it's normal peachy colour. She looked thinner too, and her hair had grown slightly. But yet they both gripped their kunai knives tighter in their hands while staring at each other. Ino was un-doubtably scared. She wasn't the best friend she'd always known.

Ino's heart was now emptier than before it felt like it was beating coisderably slower while she gawked at Sakura, she knew now why her best friend had left Konaha and that any persuading she did wouldn't change Sakura's mind.

The faint hope that once filled Ino's mind was like a feather floating away in the wind. It had no where to go but couldn't lay still on the floor. It was like feeling lost but knowing where you have to go.

Shikamaru let go of Ino's shoulders as she shook him off. Sakura slowly took a few steps in Ino's direction but Ino merely look straight past her gaunt figure like she wasn't even there anymore.

"Ino.. I'm sorry" Sakura said her gazed fixed to the floor. Ino's mouth fell open as to talk but she couldn't find the words and just stood shivering.

Sakura wrapped her arms around Ino's torso and cried into her shoulder. "Please Ino" Sakura pleaded gripping Ino tighter towards her and balling her identical dark blue ANBU shirt in her fists.

Shikamaru and Itachi just watched as the two young kunoichi stood together. Sakura was hugging Ino letting tears fall down her face while Ino stood expressionlessly, just standing while Sakura poured her heart out. "Ino talk to me" Sakura pleaded pulling away from Ino and looking at her.

Ino closed her mouth and lowered her eyes slightly in distress. "What do you want me to say?" She asked.

Sakura could tell Ino was lost in her emotions and her arms dropped to her sides.

"I don't know why your still here. Why aren't you dead like Hokage-sama said? Why aren't we all forgetting slowly about Sakura? Why are you even alive right now?" Ino tried the questions she knew Sakura would have no chance in answering and Sakura glanced at Itachi.

Even though Sakura didn't like Itachi in the slightest amount, without him there was no doubt, she would have died.

He wasn't looking at her, his gaze was fixed on the dark sky while the conversation commenced.

Suddenly Sakura's tear filled eyes saw a blurry blonde head scramble through the trees waving his arms madly while screaming about directions to the sound.

"Ino , Shikamaru I found someone who knows where we can find the-" The blonde haired boy said running up to Ino. Sakura wiped her blurry eyes to gaze upon the blonde boy.

When she saw bottomless cerulean eyes staring back at her heart sank to the lowest place it could and slumped itself over_. "Naruto"_

She gazed at Naruto who looked like he'd just been told that he wasn't allowed a bowl of ramen again in his life.

He blinked at her un-believing the beautiful pnik hair kunoichi that stood in front of him.

He'd tried to forget Sakura. He'd always loved her and then she was gone, declared dead. He'd tried to forget all the times that she'd made him laugh or told him he could do whatever he wanted to achieve.

And here she was standing in front of him, her wonderful, unfathomable sea green eyes pouring tears of pure upset and distress.

Sakura's turned her head trying to stop herself from running towards Naruto hopelessly and found Itachi stood away from the four ANBU. She walked towards the Elder Uchiha and stood next to him. He turned to look at her feeling surprised wondering why she hadn't reversed the seal and let him go. But of course he didn't dare show this.

"S-Sakura chan?" She heard Naruto's semi childish voice ask her. She turned to face him still standing next to the cold Uchiha Itachi.

"Why are you with him?" Naruto's voice had suddenly turned from it's sweet voice to an aggressive killer tone as he balled his fists by the side of him.

Sakura understood Naruto had endured some unforgettable encounters with Itachi and also knew that he wouldn't be at all pleased that Sakura was even in a 100 meter distance of the "murdering-teme" as Naruto enjoyed referring to him.

Sakura's mind flashed with thoughts. She had to see Sasuke and bring him back to Konaha. Naruto would help her yet she was binded to Itachi by a 3 week seal that was very hard to release in the first two weeks. She had no choice available but stay with Itachi.

Ino , Shikamaru and Naruto stood together with pleading eyes and empty faces wanting Sakura to come back home with them.

"I've .. I've sealed us" She said lowering her head feeling hopeless. Naruto stared at Sakura's upset posture.

Ino knew all the consequences of the seal Sakura was talking about and inwardly held her breath. "Don't be so stupid" Ino shouted throwing a kunai in Sakura's direction.

Sakura merely raised her hand catching the sharp kunai in her hand letting blood trail from her hand down to her elbow and drip to the floor.

Ino fell to her knees and Shikamaru drew a Shuriken. Sakura fell into her fighting stance and Naruto stared in awe wondering if Sakura would actually kill the three of them.

She made a few un recognizable hand signs and her memorable pinkish chakra circled her lifting her hair. "Sasuke needs me" She whispered closing her eyes and letting a tear fall from her eye and roll silently down her cheek.

Naruto, Ino and Shikamaru watched as she released her hands and the pink chakra circled her body faster.

**Sakura**

Her heart raced quickly beating inside of her chest as she pulled several kunai in both hands and lifted them above her head. She cried and could see a blurry blonde head shouting and screaming in her direction as her chakra lifted her from the floor.

"Sakura please stop this. We can help you. Sakura please!" Naruto shouted heatedly throwing his fists around.

She watched as a blurry Shikamaru held Ino to his chest as she cried.

She separated Ino and Shikamaru throwing a hand of five silver kunai in their direction and Ino screamed as one hit her arm making her fall to the floor. She looked back to throw the same amount at Naruto.

Yet unfortunately, cowardly almost ,he wasn't there. She forgot about Naruto.

If he had gone to summon more troops she'd be taken back to Konaha so that Itachi could be locked up. And then she would start again on her search for Sasuke.

Like anyone cared that she was gone. The Hokage had told everyone she'd died and Konaha hadn't come looking for her body. She was un-sure that even Naruto, Shikamaru and Ino were looking for her. By the looks of it Ino and Shikamaru had only stumbled on to where Sakura was sat crying while they were looking for someone with directions to the sand.

She wouldn't cry anymore though she didn't have to, she would kill them.

For Sasuke, nothing mattered apart from Sasuke. She was no longer the young genin who did nothing to defend herself. She didn't need anyone.

Sasuke was the only one who would care for her.

Ino was shouting to Shikamaru and Shikamaru was crying silently as a kunai pierced through his back.

Ino screamed out at Sakura her face filled with anger.

Her heart missed a beat and she fell to the floor next to Itachi.

Itachi looked as un-impressed as ever as he watched Sakura heave up her upper body and stare up at him. She let tears fall freely down her cheeks as she had done so many times while in his presence.

Shikamaru crawled over to Ino and Itachi and Sakura watched them as she whispered to her.

"Kill them" She heard Itachi say as he stared in disgust at Ino and Shikamaru.

"Or are you weak?" He said looking away from them handing her a katana pulled from his Akatsuki robe. She stood up taking the katana and raising Ino from Shikamaru with a wave of her chakra filled hand. Ino stood in front of Sakura who held the katana to her side.

"I'm sorry Ino, You'll never understand this" Sakura began to speak and Ino held her breath.

"Sakura" Ino said freely letting Sakura hold the Katana to her neck. "Like the flower" Ino said closing her eyes and letting a smile cross her face. "On that day when I saw you 'grocery shopping' so early. If I knew that was the last time I'd see you, I would've never let you go" Ino said still smiling slightly.

"If you want to kill me" She started letting a tear fall down her smiling face.

"lay me in a grave next to Shikamaru" Ino said quietly her lips quivering but her body still.

Sakura stared back at Ino. The girl who could have anyone she wanted liked Shikamaru.. Sakura gazed at Shikamaru who was bleeding from the kunai that had pierced through his back.

"_How could she love him?"_

Sakura wanted to see her friend be happy.

Ino deserved to have whatever she wanted and if she wanted to be with Shikamaru Sakura wanted to be happy for them both. She wanted to laugh about things that Shikamaru said and giggle politely when Ino would argue with him .She even wanted to be the maid of honor if they got married she wanted to see the happiness fill Ino's eyes and she was forever happy with Shikamaru.

But this was the only way.

"Ino. If there was a way I could-" Sakura left her sentence unfinished as she felt Itachi loom behind her.

Itachi looked at Ino whose gaze was fixed on the pale mans eyes. He activated his mangekyou sharingan and Sakura held the katana closer pressuring Ino's skin.

**Ino**

**(Under Mangekyou)**

The warm breeze was all around and Sakura was sat under a large cherry blossom tree as Ino ran over to her and sat down.

The sun was balmy beating down on Ino's skin and she smiled as Sakura picked petals of off a Sakura flower.

Ino giggled. "You'd wait forever for him" She said smiling at Sakura who smiled back instantly the wonderful gleam in her eyes brighter than ever.

"I'm going to. Forever if that's what it takes" She said looking back at the petals. It was like a wonderful dream and for the slight moment she _was_ just dreaming. "I love him" Sakura said.

Ino looked to her left seeing Shikamaru and Chouji walking quickly over to them both and sitting down. "How's you're ring?" Shikamaru said raising Ino's left hand.

Ino smiled. Her dreams were coming true. "Better than ever" She said her eyes filling with tears.

A sharp pain quickly flew across her neck and she gasped feeling air against the soft new wound. Everyone watched her as she gasped for air as hers quickly escaped.

Shikamaru shook Ino's shoulders and everything slowed down. She could no longer hear Shikamaru asking her what was wrong or see Sakura sitting in front of her crying. They were blurred and leaving her in darkness as she gasped.

(Not under Mangekyou :s)

The once dark setting around her changed as she opened her eyes to see the black commas of an unfamiliar uchiha.

They slowly stopped themselves and she could feel a warm liquid soaking her front as she continued to gasp for air.

She could hear the screams of Shikamaru and as she lowered her watchful eyes she saw Sakura sat on the floor a katana in her hand that was covered in blood which was without a doubt her own.

Shikamaru came running towards Ino as Itachi lowered her and propped her against a tree using his chakra.

Shikamaru led his head on her chest checking her heart and let tears fall from his eyes.

"I'm sorry" Ino managed to make out and she coughed a red liquid into her hand.

She winced in pain as she could feel her vision blurring and her body weakening. Shikamaru stroked her long blonde hair that had now loosened from it's high ponytail.

"For what?" He said smiling sweetly at Ino.

"For not telling you" She spluttered holding his hand in her own. He cried more laying Ino in his lap.

"I love you" He said holding her body close to his. She cried and coughed.

He lowered her slightly and she coughed more. "I love you too" She managed, squeezing Shikamaru's hand in her own.

She took a deep breath in and slowly closed her eyes. "No .. no Ino .. Please don't leave me" He said holding her to his chest shaking plentifully. "I love you" she repeated over and over and then everything grew quiet and the only sound heard was that of Shikamaru's distraught sobs and the light rain that fell to the floor.

He then reached for the Katana that lay in Sakura's hand but she kept her tight grip on it. "Shikamaru stop it" She said quietly but released her grip turning away from Ino's dead carcass.

She could her him taking a deep breath and then the Katana slicing through his organs followed by a scream of agonizing pain.His body fell to the floor slightly and he heaved feeling the blood mixing around his body openly.

"You were a great ANBU Sakura" He said as he lay Ino is his lap once again and softly kissed her still warm lips. "Find him" He said laying his hand on Ino's beat less heart.

"Find him."


	12. Someone's Here

**Chapter 11**

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Chapter 11 is up and running :d hope you all enjoy it Liitle tiny twist at the endd :D Keep readinggg

xx

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**Itachi**

She stood up leaving the two Konaha nin he he believed to be named Ino and Shikamaru lifeless on the cold grassy floor. Itachi could tell by the distant emtpy look in Sakura's eyes that this would be hard for her knowing she'd never have killed anyone before and saw she didn't know what to do with them. He walked slowly over to the two bodies that lay one cradling the other gently. They looked like they were meant ot stay that way. Safe in each others arms forever. He bent down to carefully sperate them to help Sakura out but felt Sakura pull him backwards slightly and he shot her a deathly glare.

"I need to say goodbye" She said kneeling down next to them her eyes not leaving their radled position.

Itachi stepped away letting her stroke Ino's long whitish hair while smiling slightly as it fell through her fingers.

He watched her whisper telling herself that she had to do this and that this was the only way. She was asking for the blondes forgiveness and telling the boy that he was a genius. Telling them if she had a second chance she'd never have killed them

And maybe she wouldn't have?

**Sakura**

"I'm sorry Ino" She said letting Ino's hair slide softly through her pale fingers. "You would've looked lovely in a wedding dress, just like the ones we used to say we'd wear" She said smiling. "I'll be honest, I was expecting a different groom though" She said slightly chuckling while looking at Shikamaru.

She stroked Ino's face, her pinkie skin still warm. "I thought I'd always be here for you" She said letting a tear drop on to Ino's cheek."I was wrong obviously".

For a moment she just let Ino's lifeless body lay infront of her. She looked so close to waking Sakura wished to shake her and tell her to wake up.

She stroked Ino's hand with the pad of her thumb.

She held it tighter and then carefully lifted it to her chest. "You're still beating in here"

She said closing her eyes tightly trying to stop herself from un-controllably sobbing, only light painful tears fell from Sakura's tightly closed eyes.

She replaced Ino under Shikamaru's grip and lowered her head. "You loved her" She said looking at his strong arms holding her frail body. Then she corrected herself. "You love her" The painful tears falling faster from her eyes.

She looked at Shikamaru's blood stained ANBU chest plate and knew he'd do anything for his Ino. Even die for her.

Her hands summoned her chakra as she slowly stood letting Ino's hand fall from her onto her stomach softly . Sakura summoned and disguised her clones. The three clones carefully raised Ino and Shikamaru's bodies before jumping off almost soundlessly into trees nearby.

Sakura watched them jump away and Ino's long hair swinging helplessly. That was the last time she'd see them. She was the very last person to see their bodies. The last person who'd be able to talk to them both.

She turned back to Itachi who was facing away from her his long coat cascading backwards and his hair moving gracefully in the faint wind that surrounded them both.

They were alone again now. Alone, just like before.

"Where now?" She asked her voice empty, lacking any possible emotion as she stared at her feet.

She could feel Itachi's hard stare fixed on her. Whether he was surprised that she was portraying she didn't care about the recent happenings or whether he just wanted to stare at her she wasn't sure. But she let him stand there his eyes fixed on her.

He turned away from her breaking his glare.

"North" He said as he began to pick his heels up from the floor. She wiped a final tear from her strained, red eyes and began to follow Itachi slowly. His walk had slowed down and eventually they were standing next to each other. She was empty to have spilled innocent blood upon her own hands. They were lifeless and she could no longer laugh and be happy with them.

The rain had stopped and the only possible sound was the clear breathing of two missing Konoha Nin. Itachi's breathing pattern was quiet and slow while Sakura's struggled to stay calm as she held back her tears.

"You're quiet" Itachi said more like a statement than a question but Sakura choose to answer anyway .

"I miss them" She said taking a sharp breath inward as her mind flashed back to the smiling couple who were able to smile no more.

"You've been without them before" He said simply, un-caring for any of her feelings. He looked ahead of them both and seemed to honestly not care .

"At least when I was without them before I knew they were still alive" she said forcefully.

"They're dead" He stated his gaze not moving from the muddy track in front of him.

Sakura bit her lip to stop herself from crying. It was like he was tormenting her , talking about ino and Shikamaru purposely to make her upset. She knew what he said was correct but she had to take time to forget every happy memory that she'd spent with Ino and every succesful mission spent with Shikamaru.

**Itachi **

"Why didn't you-" Itachi began a sentence before stopping himself. He knew what he wished to ask Sakura but he didn't want to seem curious so he stopped himself from talking any further.

"Why didn't I what?" Sakura asked choosing not to look at Itachi as they walked.

"Nothing" He replied. He then reached inside his large Akatsuki cloak producing another one, identical to his own.

He held it out in front of Sakura who raised an eyebrow at him.

"What's this for?" She asked seeming confused at Itachi's sudden kindness. For a moment she stared at him before lifting it from his hand and straightening it out.

"It's was getting heavy" He said still looking forward.

Sakura seemed disgusted and took a deep breath to start shouting at Itachi but he held one of his long pale fingers to her lips.

"and your shirt has a hole in it" He said directing his gaze to the still gaping hole that was know lightly stained in Ino, Shikamaru's and her own blood.

She noticed a black shirt fall to the floor and bent down to pick it up carefully laying it over her arm with the cloak.

She looked left and right seeing a well shadowed tree.

"I'll be back in a second" She said while walking of to change. At that moment she wanted to scream and shout at Itachi , the man who had no viewable feelings and cared nothing for other people. Whether it was because she'd just lost two of her friends to stay with him of whther she generall hated him she wasn't sure.

Itachi watched her talk. Her jaw was shivering and her arms where covered in the discarded blood of her close friends. Although he hadn't asked her his mind still wandered on to the subject of why she hadn't freed him from the seal.

He knew she would gain a large amount of obvious praise for capturing them man who caused such a tragedy and that she would more than likely be accepted as an Individual in Konoha again for her heroic qualities.

Yet did that really matter if she obviously despised him beyond belief. He'd noticed her glaring at him in utter disgust more than a few times and when walking with him she always preferred to walk behind him, a kunai held in her left hand tucked tightly to her chest most of the time but sometimes she would let her hand lay loosely at her side.

He stopped his mind from wandering further onto the way she moved when she was scared or frightened and instead leaned against a nearby tree and swung a kunai round on his finger. He'd remembered when he first watched her sleeping. She had returned from her failed attempt to find Sasuke and lazily flopped down onto her futon without taking her clothes off or removing her weapons.

She looked innocent and hopeless while sleeping and Itachi would never have thought twice about her killing anyone close to her. She didn't seem the type to take an ambition that far.

She was obviously skilled in medicine and healing but other than that she could only seem to be an expert in chakra control. She didn't have the sort of quality to kill someone nor would she venture that far to get what she wanted but recent events were starting to prove this wrong.

She'd killed her female best friend and then watched as another of her close friends killed themselves. She was an ANBU who betrayed her comrades in search of something that she knows in her heart she could have great trouble achieving. She'd betrayed her country, her Hokage , Her friends and the ANBU.

He let a faint satisfied smile cross his face. She reminded him of when Sasuke showed his first glimpse of killer instinct towards Itachi. _"Cold Blooded Killer Instinct" _He thought and let the smile grace upon his pale features once again.

**Sakura**

The creamy ANBU chest plate lifted away from her body and she was left in her dark blue ANBU shirt, she jumped onto a nearby branch before removing it to be replaced by the blackish top Itachi had given her. She didn't want Itachi to watch her semi-naked so she draped her blue shirt around her lightly. She reached for the soft black shirt with the large cloak and she pulled it over her head.

As it fell down on to her skin she could smell him, a mix of Sasuke and Itachi in one. She remembered when she'd been lead on Sasuke's toned stomach sobbing while Naruto fought Haku. This shirt was how he smelt. She inhaled several times before casting her eyes to the large cloak.

Upon slipping her arms inside she figured it would be loose and baggy probably letting a lot of cold air in while she walked but was pleasantly surprised when it was soft and warm inside with the thick layer on the outside.

She felt one of the red clouds under her fingers and smiled looking to the sky above her. The clouds were a pinkie orange and she smiled. "Such a beautiful day to cover up such brutally terrible happenings" she whispered speaking the words that her mother had once wisely told her.

_The sky was beautiful filled with the soft pinkish red clouds at every angle. Sakura and her mother had been sat arranging flowers as a present for her father when he returned home the next day. She returned inside soon after getting into her pink pyjamas and sitting in her futon before falling asleep. Everything was so peaceful until she awoke and everything changed. _

_In those few fatal hours where such a beautiful sky had formed havoc had been created in just a few houses down from hers._

She sighed. Never would it have crossed her mind that she'd now be walking around binded to the man who single handidly killed an entire clan. All accept his younger brother who showed some well needed potential.

The man who she was now travelling with had ruined his brother's life.

If Itachi hadn't have killed his clan Sasuke wouldn't have been an avenger. Nor would he have left to seek power. Nor would Sakura be risking her life to find him and return him home with her.

She jumped down from the branch her newly found Akatsuki cloak blowing behind her as she slowly walked into Itachi's presence. She stood only inches away from his face and watched as he blinked carelessly.

She let her hand feel up his chest and stop at his neck. She came close to his ear and her soft breath warmed his neck.

"I hate you" she whispered through gritted teeth before tracing steps back and standing northwards.

She looked back expecting Itachi to at least have some reaction back to her but she blinked curiously as she found him in front of her again walking at his usual pace.

She almost cursed herself for letting him be that in-considerate.

But realised he wasn't even worth it. He was rude and obnoxious. Instead she decided it would be best to start another conversation.

She gained his speed and walked briskly next to him. For all the hate Sasuke had, Sakura seemed to finally get some understanding. She praised Sasuke in a way for spending most of his childhood years around this un-breakbale man who never knew the word 'emotions' to be anything more but as something that would slow you down.

"Why not make me reverse the seal?" She said bluntly. She knew to watch Itachi for a reaction this time and saw the slight glimmer of surprise flash through while they carried on walking forward.

He didn't answer but she knew she had his attention to the full extent.

"You staying with me.." She said looking down. "Is my fault, I know but you had the chance to ask me to reverse it" She began feeling upset run through her veins. "I've killed my friends, because I have no choice. There is a 5 percent chance I can reverse this seal. So why not ask?" She said her eyes fixed on the floor feeling Itachi's fuming stare almost burn through the newly given Akatsuki cloak. "I've lost so much already and you're here not even talking to me".

Itachi sighed before taking in a large breath.

"Listen kunoichi. They called you Sakura ?" He asked. She nodded obediently without a smile.

"It wasn't my choice to be travelling with you" He started now having Sakura's full attention on him. "But it just so happens that you and I are looking for the same thing" He said. Sakura's heart beat hard inside her chest and she swallowed hard to keep herself steady.

"You're looking for ..." Her sentence trailed off as she grasped her neck for a silver locket she'd found. She held it there feeling Itachi's stare upon her tightly clasped hand.

She repeated herself in no more than a whisper before staring confusedly at Itachi.

"Are you" She stopped as his stare was fixed deeply into her eyes.

"Are you h-helping me?" She asked wearily worried if Itachi would be mad at her.

He almost laughed but then sighed heavily. "If anything your somewhat helping me" He said ignorantly. She was about to ask a question when it flooded her mind. Why would Itachi , of all people , need helping. And to find Sasuke ? What did he want with him ?

Naruto and Sasuke had both made it very clear that Sasuke was an avenger and lived to kill Itachi, so why was Itachi looking to be killed ?

Surely he'd want to be off guard.

"Why do you want Sasuke?" She asked with her courage finally brimming. He lowered his head.

**Itachi**

She'd finally asked properly. He wanted to not tell her until the end but he thought it best. She had no choice but to stay with him anyway and he wouldn't let her just stop their journey. He was in a winning situation.

"Sasuke, obviously obtains the common first stages of Sharingan" He said taking a significantly long pause after every couple of words. "I can stop Sasuke, in his tracks. Whatever he has planned for the future will be demolished and he will have no living purpose on the earth but to kill me, which was his original guideline" He said his walking slowly down slightly as he spoke. "He took the wrong path admittedly, he doesn't know how far he is going wrong" He explained looking towards the sky.

"For him to consume power and have the sharingan would cause him great troubles later in life, I'll end his suffering" He explained clenching his fists inside his cloak.

"And then the sharingan can die with the last remaining Uchiha" He stated.

He watched Sakura's expression swirl into confusion.

"Why?" she asked her eyes wide.

Itachi was faced with a question he didn't know how to answer. Upon working with Kisame or any other Akatsuki member they'd pretty much done whatever he asked without hesitation. But she'd asked for a purely honest reason.

"My Father he told me powerful bloodlines should die with their most powerful member" He said hating to speak about his father.

Sakura understood this but he waited for her to fire back which indeed she did.

"Well that's selfish" she said simply her nose held high. She then looked like she'd done the wrong thing and lowered her head back down again. "But, If I had family left" She began fiddling with the hems on the sleeves of her new robe. "I'd rather, I'd rather kill myself and die not knowing w-what happened to my remaining family" Her sentence seemed strained through hidden emotions and the hems she was once fiddling with were now tightly gripped in her hands. "Family is something worth keeping" She looked up slightly at the bluish sky. "And when they're not there anymore they wait for you" She said letting a see through tear slide down her porcelain face. "Killing them for your own sake , it's selfish" She explained looking back to down the now muddy track.

Itachi shrugged of what she'd said as best as he could and made out he didn't care about his own family. He looked back at her she'd spotted something to the left of them. When he looked closer it was an old bridge.

She slowly walked up towards it and let her hand pull over the top. It was low and stopped about the middle of her thighs. Water ran underneath and the wind pushed back the end of her hair and the bottom of her robe. She stood still almost looking like she was thinking.

She almost looked peaceful. Her jade eyes were covered with her eyelids and the breeze upon her made her skin turn a shade paler from the cold. Her mouth was moving slightly as if she was talking and Itachi, who had been observing from a distance walked forward slightly. She didn't bat an eyelid at this but he knew she knew he was there even if she was ignoring him it was obvious.

Itachi looked down feeling the warm rush of nothingness wash over him. He looked back at Sakura her mumbling had increased and he could almost make it out.

Itachi's guard was down and he was fixed on Sakura. He had no time to look for an enemy and he didn't care if there was one he would obviously sense them a mile away. Sakura's face then looked pained and her jade eyes shot upon as Itachi stood a small distance away from her. He blinked.

"Someone's here"

Itachi couldn't believe Sakura had picked up on something he didn't and she quickly wiped her tears away focusing her chakra to find the enemy.

"What a mysterious girl, yeah"

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Dun dun dun :P 

Lmao !

Tehee

This one took a while sorry bout that but here ti is Chapter 11 :D

Thankyoo to everyone who reviewed the recent chapters your all great and ideas for the sequel are more than welcome by anyone -

RYOUKOx


	13. And shes wearing 1 of our cloaks yeah!

**A/n:**

**This one got a bit carried away.**

**I got a flame saying Sakura was weak for those of you who think she is i apoligize it's just how I percieved her in this story.**

**I like this chapter because it has Deidara who will be in the sequel for deffinate :D Well enjoyyy :D**

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**Chapter 12**

**Sakura**

Her instinct told her to look left and she saw a flash of un-familiar blonde hair flick through the green trees that were fresh with rain water on them. She pulled a kunai from Itachi's pocket which he seemed angered at staring at her forcefully.

He went to speak, which was very un-usual but she held one of her pale fingers to his lips hushing him. She stood still with her eyes closed finding the presence of another person. She passed Itachi's presence and found another. The person was strong but no match for Itachi. Suddenly warm breath cascaded down her front making her in-depth concentration switch off.

"Behind you yeah"

She span away her kunai held in front of her and her breath erratical as the voice had gone straight through her. She saw Itachi merely standing there and glared at him wondering why he wasn't helping her.

She took a look at the tall man that stood in front of her.

He was blonde and his long fringe fell over his right eye only showing a brightly coloured blue eye. His body was lean and somewhat muscular which went wonderfully seeing as his face was very handsome and dare she say kind of cute.

He was wearing a distinctive ANBU outfit but it was scuffed and dirty.

"What are you wearing?" Itachi bluntly asked the blonde man who was smirking mockingly at Sakura.

"ANBU's get up .Why? Not like it Itachi? Yeah" The blonde asked slightly mocking.

"Not particularly" Itachi replied.

"And since when did you become a fashion guru Itachi-san? Yeah" He asked a chuckle lingering in his throat. His voice was deep but playful and Sakura held onto his every word.

Itachi's face, although behind the large neckline was obviously angered at the blondes idiotic joke. "Since when did you steal other peoples clothes Diedara" Itachi replied turning away slightly.

_Diedara, that's his name_

Sakura thought. The name fitted him perfectly.

Then a thought struck her, If Itachi knew this man there were two possibilities of what was to come. The man could either be a friend of Itachi's or he could possibly want to kill Itachi, either seemed somewhat far fetched as to what would come next but Sakura said nothing while the two bickered.

"Get rid of the kunoichi and I can tell you the information and go yeah" Diedara said crossing his arm and putting his weight onto his hip femininely. Itachi looked at Sakura who stood there wide eyed at the conversation that was going on between the two older men.

She'd never heard Itachi say so much before.

"I can't" Itachi replied after a small, significant pause.

"I know that yeah. She's helping you to find Sasuke but leader wants to speak with you yeah" Diedara said shifting his weight again letting his long blonde hair swing inside it's long ponytail.

Itachi didn't reply and Diedara became angered. "I didn't wanna come out here looking for you yeah, nor did I honestly want to meet your friend Yeah she hasn't even properly introduced herself yeah" Diedara said pointing at Sakura and pouting.

She stood and straightened out her Akatsuki cloak. She opened her mouth to speak but Diedara interrupted holding a slender finger to her petal coloured lips just like she'd done to Itachi.

"And she's wearing one of our cloaks yeah!" He said outraged as he pointed towards a beautifully stitched red cloud on the cloak Sakura wore.

She looked down at the black cloak that was fitted around her.

"I'm sorry" She said innocently to Deidara.

This made him blink as he seemed pretty sure she'd stay quiet.

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**Diedara**

The words that the pink haired kunoichi had said floated around his head and he glanced at her seeing her properly now. Her hair was a beautiful shade of the prettiest pink and her eyes were large with a most dazzling green.

He blinked at Itachi who didn't seem to be affected at all by the beauty of the young girl. How he could travel with a girl as pretty as this and not be affected was beyond Diedara.

"It's okay yeah" Diedara said sweetly smiling at the young girl who seemed quite frightened off him .He stupidly bowed in front of her forgetting his usual manners. "I'm Diedara yeah" He smiled again upon straightening up and saw her smile kindly back. He shot a glance at Itachi at that point and wanted to giggle seeing Itachi looking kind of jealous.

"My name is Sakura" she said blushing slightly at Diedara's manners. He smiled back at her cutely knowing Itachi would be watching the pair with disgust.

Diedara heard Itachi turn away not wanting to interfere, Sakura looked at Itachi as he walked away and Diedara thought he'd explain.

"I'm sorry Sakura yeah, Itachi gets embarrassed around people as young and pretty as you yeah" He said slightly taking advantage of the fact that Sakura didn't know him and she seemed like she already trusted him.

She then smiled at Diedara all the more evilly than he'd expected. "Well yes I understand that, Diedara. But to be quite honest I didn't think Itachi-san had any emotions, let alone embarrassment" She smiled mockingly at Itachi who'd stopped in his tracks. Diedara's blue eye grew wide at the semi-hurtful comment she'd just thrown Itachi's way and waited for him to bite back at her the way he usually would do to someone who'd said something if not anything out of line.

She then threw her long bubble gum pink hair over her shoulder and stood closer to Diedara only inches away from his lean slightly muscular body. "And asked for you, well I find it fairly interesting that you'd be hitting on a girl as 'young' as me at first glance without getting to know me at all. It's rather perverted to just find out my name" She said smiling evilly as she span around him swiftly and snaked her arms around his neck and pulling herself up onto his back then producing a sharp kunai from Diedara's own pocket.

"I thought someone like you would have had more decency" she said bringing the kunai closer to Diedara's neck.

"I was wrong, obviously" She then said jumping backwards and flipping gracefully before landing neatly on the floor next to Itachi who had been watching them un-be known to both Shinobi.

Diedara rubbed his pale neck before giving Sakura a deadly glare. "Not bad kunoichi yeah" He said chuckling before throwing a kunai Sakura's way. He did it so delicately he'd hardly noticed it'd left his fingers himself. Yet Sakura's quick reactions fell in hitting it with her own kunai and sending it back hitting Diedara's long ponytail and slicing through a few blonde strands.

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**Itachi**

He couldn't believe his eyes and wondered deeply if this was the same kunoichi he had to once intensely heal after once slice from his partners samehada. She was now very different from before and he watched as she was stood gracefully next to him calm as she ever had been while travelling with him. She seemed un-affected at how Diedara was summoning chakra.

Itachi blinked. _"Diedara's summoning chakra?1!1"._

His eyes grew wide as they flew from Diedara's grin and his blue chakra to Sakura's calm facial expression as she gently raised her hands in front of her.

She seemed to know what she was doing as she placed them gracefully together.

This fazed Itachi as he knew that Diedara was far more skilled than Sakura, that and the fact that Diedara was even considering wasting his time knowing that he would smash Sakura to pieces.

"You lost some of your hair ... yeah" Sakura said mockingly as her eyes flew open and set upon Diedara.

He screwed his face up in disgust at her. "Too bad you'll be losing your life yeah!" Diedara said then Itachi could tell he was cursing the fact that his trademarked 'yeah' had followed at the end of his sentence.

She giggled as a pink chakra illuminated around her hands.

Itachi knew that he wanted to kick Diedara's ass himself and would love if someone else did it for him but he could tell that he should stop this before it got out of hand. He wanted to see Sakura's abilities but didn't want her dead. Diedara stood straight letting a beautifully crafted clay bird float in front of him.

The thoughts that flew through Itachi's mind made him wanted to clutch his head for some kind of comfort. He looked at Sakura who seemed calmer than ever as many pink senbon needles surrounded her. Her eyes were closed and Diedara was watching her as gradually more senbon accumulated around her body.

Itachi then sensed them slowly moving forward to her body then with a quick shot all of her chakra senbon needles pierced into her body. She lifted her feet from the floor and curled up in pain.

Itachi's arm then flew out to touch her thinking she'd sacrificed herself. But her body vanished into a puff of wispy pink smoke.

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**Sakura**

She watched as her clone vanished and pulled Diedara's hand behind his back before summoning the same amount, if not more senbon needles surrounded Diedara's body. She could feel his smile even though she couldn't see it and smiled back. He seemed to be taking her as a joke but as her long senbon needles grew closer she could feel his shake through the few inches away they stood from each other. Was he scared? She wanted to laugh out loud but left inner Sakura to have her fun at the supposed ANBU who she knew was an Akatsuki member that was scared of the girl that would usually run from the sight of any trouble. She avoided anything that she could but not this time. She was sticking it out and funnily enough succeeding. Inner Sakura was victory dancing as the senbon needles grew even closer to Diedara's pale, perfect skin and he wished to flinch but couldn't. He was helpless and Sakura knew this as she gracefully strolled to the messy grass patch in front of Diedara while smiling at him. She slowly watched as a needle very gently poked him not enough to break his skin but enough to make him notice.

He then smiled friendly. "Like I said yeah not bad.." He left his sentence un-finished as Itachi walked until he stood slightly proudly next to Sakura.

Diedara's smile increased. ".. not bad , Sakura" He said.

Sakura joined her hands. "Release" She shouted and the many senbon that made shadows upon Diedara's skin vanished leaving him in no harm. He let out a breath of relief and Sakura shifted her weight sticking her tongue out and giggling at Deidara.

Deidara smiled giving her a thumbs up and she mirrored this. Itachi stood there gawking behind his large neck band at Sakura and Deidara.

Between Diedara and Sakura secretly they both knew that they weren't going to harm each other but were worthy opponents, obviously.

Diedara had no reason to hurt Sakura ditto Sakura. But when Sakura looked at Itachi's wide eyes she could tell he'd missed this fact and If necessary she'd have to explain/

Diedara looked at Itachi before speaking.

"Itachi –san, I'll tell you why I'm here yeah" Diedara then said also picking up on the awkward vibe Itachi was sending out. "Leader wants a talk with you about what happened with Kisame yeah. He says that old sharky won't confess and that you know about it yeah" He said smiling and nodding his head while he talked letting his long blonde hair bounce around in its pony tail.

Itachi gave a nod. "Okay. Thank you" He said turning away. Sakura raised an eyebrow at Itachi before looking at Diedara again whose expression showed the same features as Sakura's.

They both smiled for being so similar but then realised they barely knew each other. Sakura smiled at Deidara like she'd known him forever and he smiled back like she was lost family.

Itachi coughed drawing both of their attention and Sakura knew he wanted to leave and without her he wasn't able to do so. Deidara however, of course had no idea of this and smiled ready to tease Itachi some more.

He began to open his mouth before Sakura placed a finger to his lips stopping him. "I wouldn't ask if I were you" She slightly whispered looking at Deidara sympathetically and then to Itachi lowering her head.

Deidara nodded understanding that he shouldn't ask for Sakura's sake and Itachi's pride.

"We'll be going then I guess, Right Itachi-kun?" She said trying to put a smile on the fact of being alone with Itachi again.

Itachi didn't turn nor give Sakura any kind of acknowledgment, but Sakura didn't need any anymore. After spending so much alone time as it were with Itachi she sometimes knew that her questions wouldn't be answered and she'd have to make one up hoping it was correct.

Deidara smiled at them both as Sakura walked towards Itachi's side. "Good bye Itachi, Sakura-san yeah" He said before jumping back into a nearby tree.

Sakura looked back as Deidara had said goodbye.

"Good bye, Deidara-kun" She whispered to herself smiling, Deidara was fun.

She then turned her head to look at Itachi who had his gaze faced forwards at first but then looked at her. For a moment or two she just took in the immense beauty of his face. His eyes were so deep she could get easily lost in their dark beauty. She watched for a while and he only blinked once or twice she took a step standing in front of him.

He wasn't extremely tall but he was slightly taller than her and she looked up at him wanting to get lost in his ruby eyes again. His long shadowy bangs had fallen into his face and Sakura raised her frail wrist to move them but as she got closer to his face he caught her wrists quickly.

She didn't move her gaze from his eyes though. Even without the mangekyou activated she found herself under a trance just looking at them. Slowly his grip loosened on her wrists and she felt his face. It was cold but she didn't really care.

She could see his surprise when she touched his face. Whether he'd expected her to flinch and whip her hand away she didn't know but she didn't care because for that moment she was flooding the mind of Uchiha Itachi and she wouldn't say but he was flooding her mind, soaking in to her brain and pinning itself in her head.

She leaned closer shaking slightly at being so near the dangerous man. He stood still and seemed un-affected that she'd move closer. She moved her other hand to caress his face and he blinked. He leaned close to her face and let his warm breath flow down her neck.

Her knees felt like putty but somehow she knew what she was doing.

He softly brushed her lips with his own and her body tensed in shock. She closed her eyes and felt his eyes burning through her lids. He then gently pushed his lips against hers.

She stood shocked, her body tensed up and the hands that touched his face were rigid. He then pulled her back closer to him and she relaxed letting his tongue slide inside her mouth slowly.

For a few blissful moments they stood un-disturbed just lost in each others company.

Sakura then slinked her arms around Itachi's neck pulling him closer letting her tongue enter his mouth and enjoying the heated moment between them.

She then felt Itachi's hand on her waist and he broke the kiss and grabbed a kunai.

Sakura stood lost wondering if the blissful moment had just happened or whether she'd imagined it.

Itachi stood still not making any sound at all looking in to the trees in front of them.

"We're being followed"

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A/N :

Hope you enjoyed

IT'S OVER

.. Well until chapter 13 :D

Sequel ideas anyone?

x

RYOUKOx


	14. Rin Ayame No jutsu

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Chapter 13

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a/n: I like this chapter personnaly and it went quite well.

**READERS' THANKS AT THE BOTTOM SEE IF YOUR IN THERE :D**

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**Mixed Emotions of Sakura and Itachi**

Sakura was stood in shock her glance fixed on the Elder Uchiha that stood before her emotionless as always. She raised her hands to touch her soft petal lips noticing they were still warm. Her cheeks were flushed a deep un-noticeable scarlet colour but she didn't care as long as Itachi wasn't looking at her.

He'd think she was embarrassed or something?

She could taste him in her mouth and could smell his unforgettable scent over her cloak and all around her as she moved.

She looked at him, he'd seemed to have forgotten exactly what had just happened between the two of them and was now focused on something completely different. His chakra was being focused, scanning for any close un-wanted enemy Nin. He knew they were around but wasn't clear how far or in schools of how many.

Sakura watched him, too lost in her emotions still remembering their minute or two of passion instead of scanning the premises for the enemy. Why should she? Everyone was pretty sure she'd died possibly even from as soon as she left from what Ino and Shikamaru had told her. She closed her eyes and crossed her arms smiling grandly. _Why should I care? _Inner Sakura shouted mirroring Sakura's pose.

"Come on" Itachi said from behind her almost making her jump directly out of her skin. She flinched violently and looked back at Itachi who, as always was keeping his cool perfectly and was waiting for an answer from her.

"W-where?" she asked regaining her normal poise and standing straight with her arms un-folded. He looked around and recognised the place; it was where he and Kisame had once trained while out on a two year mission for Kisame's jinchuuriki. He knew the premises quite well come to think of it and as he looked in one direction he knew a place where they'd both be safe from enemies lurking eyes.

"I know somewhere" He said before jumping swiftly to a tree the left of both of them. In fear of loosing him so quickly Sakura stayed close following the black robe that whipped in the wind easily.

She was graceful at landing on trees but Itachi looked like he hadn't lifted a finger after they'd raced through a few kilometres of forest. He was so skilled at the slightest of things, something she admired greatly from any Shinobi.

Sakura leaned against a tree regaining her bated breath while Itachi stood at the edge of a deep blue lake. It seemed very un-familiar to see Itachi taking any interest in, well anything really. It fascinated her to see him staring so deeply into something that would usually seem so meaningless to him.

"Sakura?" He asked still staring intensely into the water as leaf landed on it leaving gracefully ripples forming and rolling out beneath it to the edges of the lake. She looked up at Itachi from her position on the tree. "Yes Itachi-kun?" She asked, quite taken back by him starting a conversation with her for once.

He smiled behind his large neck band before un-doing the top button. "You were trained by Tsunade-san, The Hokage correct?" He asked turning slightly showing off his pale face fully. She obediently nodded back at the elder Uchiha who smiled inwardly enthusiasm running through his veins.

"Why do you ask Itachi-kun?" She said raising an eyebrow before straightening up from the tree. She could've have sworn then at that moment that he'd smiled at her. Not a fake smile but a genuine smile, it had an easily recognisable evil tone to it, just like when Sasuke used to smile. She felt a beat in heart when she thought so freely about Sasuke but since the mission started the pain was reducing and she said his name in her head easier everyday. Inner Sakura shrugged it was very un-likely for Itachi to smile out of happiness, it was more out of a cunning plan but at least it was a smile.

"Sakura, would you spar with me?" He asked politely. Sakura stared back blank faced as Itachi usually was at the question. She wasn't sure how to answer a question such as this. As much as she'd usually enjoy sparring with her fellow ANBU they were all of similar strengths to her, apart from the few obvious exceptions that would always go easy on her.

She knew Itachi had an immense power that she could never surpass but weirdly wanted to spar with him more than anyone before.

He could easily kill her but he also seemed to know the consequences if he did. He would be 6 feet under just as far as Sakura and they'd probably be near each other.

She laughed inwardly at this. It was like a vow at a wedding. "_Till death do us part, eh Itachi-kun?" _She thought letting herself smile cunningly outright as well as inwardly.

She toyed with the idea for as long as she could before Itachi seemed restless with the fact of waiting for her.

"Okay Itachi-kun, we can spar if you like" She said. She tried her best to hide the slight tinge of regret in her voice but knew that deep inside of her she'd benefit from this. She could also use Sasuke's inspiration to fuel her temper towards Itachi. Obviously she didn't like him very much already but she had even more of a reason to hold a grudge against him and who knows she may even succeed at a sparring session.

Itachi was glad she'd accepted his offer but before they could begin it did cross his mind about the Nin that were following them. He had some inkling that they were hidden leaf ANBU from the way the moved and held there kunai, he decided it was best for a chakra barrier to be made. Chakra Barrier : Like when Oro fought the third Hokage

He made a few had signs but stopped before making it noticing Sakura was glaring at him. "I'm sealing the place" He explained to her straight faced.

She instantly understood and he was glad of this seeing as sometimes explaining things to her took a while more than he would've expected. She was a bright girl and very intelligent at time but he could tell that sometimes she needed a little while to catch on.

He summoned the chakra and made a barrier a lot like a battlefield just for the two of them.

He smiled inwardly wanting to know Sakura's real power. If she'd really found her immense inner strength like Tsunade and if she was able to control her chakra enough and in significant amounts.

Sakura readied herself for the battle and summoned chakra to bury her body from any immense hits Itachi could give her. She knew his main weapon was the mangekyou but just in case she wouldn't want to waste her own chakra on any easy shots at her body that may commence.

She steadied her slightly panicked heartbeat and took a deep breath in ignoring the fact that Itachi was staring at her his eyebrow raised.

"Ready?" He asked thinking she was done and getting annoyed at her wasting so much time. Upon hearing this she straightened herself up and started to think of possibly techniques that wouldn't completely suck up her chakra. She didn't really want to be in the position where she was completely out of her chakra while Itachi could still fight another army, which, while kind of knowing Itachi, would more than likely happen anyway. But a shot's a shot.

She and Itachi stood still for a moment waiting for the other too attack but after about five minutes of waiting they both were confused. Then Itachi thought it would be a good time for his manners to come in. He straightened up and smirked.

"Ladies first" He said pulling out a kunai. She stood straight, she knew Itachi had some manners but never enough to let an un-known kunoichi of his brother start before him in battle. It was either a chance to mock her, implying that any attack she hit him with wouldn't be fatal or he was being genuinely polite.

She very much doubted though that he was being 'genuinely polite' and readied her chakra into her left arm. She was better at hand-to-hand combat but could also use some distance and still be effective, yet so could Itachi really. He always seemed more of a defence person. Catching kicks and punches before landing his own.

She ran towards him watching his movements and categorizing his weak points, not that there were very many. He was standing still while she used her medic's eye to read the muscles underneath his skin, a technique Tsunade had taught her. It was a wonderful thing to know because it readied her for any attack. If she saw the leg muscles moving in a hurtful way she could move away and catch the kick easily without damage to herself.

She thrust her arm into his stomach and he dodged it merely standing to the left. She rolled and kicked backward flipping down in front of him, her foot smashing down and the floor shaking under the immense in-human strength she'd gained.

Itachi's eyes slightly widened. If she were to hit anyone with that she'd surely break more than a few of their bones and cause internal damage to a dangerous extent.

He smiled loving the fact that she'd be an actual challenge instead of a weak opponent that he could easily crush under his finger like an ant.

She giggled inwardly knowing that she had a secret weapon. Something she'd perfected while with Tsunade her own individual jutsu, something no-one knew about, even Tsunade was un-sure if Sakura could accomplish such a jutsu.

Itachi threw out his arm several kunai hurtling in her direction which she missed easily with a jump high in the air. He didn't watch her and waited for her to land. He wondered why she was taking so long and looked up expecting to see a beautiful blue sky but was face with a kick to this face by Sakura. He was sent hurtling to the floor his face beginning to bruise. He felt his cheek wondering if she'd cracked any bones which she hadn't.

He was confused knowing that she had her inhuman strength and that it _would_ crush and damage his bones. Hell, It could have easily broken his skull and damaged his brain but.. It hadn't?

It then hit him making his anger boil slightly. She'd gone '_easy'_ on him!1

His face angered and he stood back up to face the roseate kunoichi that stood before him slightly smirking at the darkening bruise on Itachi's pale face.

He took a step forward and Sakura smashed her foot down on the grassy patch where they stood the floor shaking but Itachi kept himself steady. Sakura checked his body for weapons and he had none, nor anything hurtful. She only had to watch out for his piercing gaze and she did this well. She taught herself to see through her senses a long time ago and she was lucky to do this knowing that Itachi would need her eyes open to use the mangekyou on her.

Mentally he cursed himself for this. If anyone knew how the mangekyou worked they'd no how to avoid it and obviously Sakura knew how to avoid him. But sometimes he saw this and advantage , when a victim had their eyes shut obviously they couldn't know where he was coming from and he replicated himself so he surrounded her and quietly started to walk towards her from all angles.

She knew where he was and could smell him getting nearer to her but smirked knowing she'd shock him with a jutsu he wouldn't be able to release. Being scared of using it had gone past her and she knew that there was a slight chance she could do herself mental damage by using it but she wanted this.

She wanted to show her abilities because she was not the one who stood back from the fight and got looked after anymore.

She was ANBU and she had a mission. She could do this.

Waiting for him to get close enough felt like it could go on forever and the cold wind whipped up around her skin making her shiver and clench her fists. While it was windy it was harder to tell how close Itachi was to her but when the wind died she could tell by the centimetre how far away he was.

She felt his breath then penetrating her front warmly making her feel warm and welcome. She then remembered that this was her chance and hid her hands behind her back keeping her eyes dead shut. She began making the hand signs that she was sure had a potential winning element.

Her eyes open slowly and just as she was supposed to be faced with the same ruby eyes she was slowly getting used to, sadly almost they weren't there. Itachi had his eyes closed and was stood in front of her breathing deeply. She blinked wondering what on earth he was doing and why he wasn't attacking her while he had the chance.

She smiled, genuinely knowing that he wouldn't attack her but she was in no place to stop. The hand signs had been made and she didn't dispel them they would reflect on her damaging her mental ability.

"Itachi-kun?" She whispered slowly laying her forehead on his chest. He didn't reply but let her rest her head while she shivered.

Before telling him anything she let a silver tear fall from her face. Why she did she wasn't sure.

Itachi didn't deserve her tears he didn't care for her.

"I'm sorry" She said hiding her tears behind her beautiful sea green eyes. Her head moved back and she looked at him then opened her mouth. "Rin Ayame no Jutsu" (Cold Iris Technique: In which the victim lives out a nightmare that they would never understand, like a living nightmare).

Itachi's eyes shot open and watched hers as they turned a darker shade of green swirling slowly into pink orbs that stared back at him full of sadness and worry.

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**((Under Sakura's jutsu))**

He blinked but upon opening his eyes was there in an un-familiar scene. He was rid of his Akatsuki cloak and at a large blue lake. It was night and there was a deep wind blowing against his pale skin. He stood under the safety of a tree as it began to rain the clear droplets falling from the star filled sky.

He stood there for a little while watching the rain fall onto the lake while it shadowed the moon. The ripple from the rain drops cascading outwards and hitting the rims of the lake. He let his ruby red orbs scan the area while it rained harder and the droplets sank into his skin and soaked his hair. His eyes fell upon something, a person. By the lake was a girl soaked from the rain and crying desperately. He checked her body for weapons while at a distance from her but could tell she was getting more restless as her un-known sobs increased. He got closer to her to see her shaking body limp and almost lifeless by the lake side. She was whimpering and her hands were clutching her body , gripping the torn red shirt that covered her top half. She cried in despair but mostly pain and writhed. He could see that she wanted to move but he didn't wish to go closer. He could murder someone instantly it was true but he wasn't sure of this girl.

He felt bad for her though, it was the middle of the night and she was alone in pain , crying. Anything could have happened to her.

He found himself walking quietly closer to her and her body tensed realising someone was there. This made Itachi stop also and scan her body for anything abnormal. She was bleeding from several internal wound and she had large gashes on her arms and stomach.

She laid still saying nothing and barely breathing.

Itachi almost lost his breathing also when he realised the crying girls' most striking feature. Her long soaked locks of faded magenta that fell around her face framing it wonderfully.

He felt his heart miss a significant beat as she turned. "Itachi-kun?"

His face fell as he saw the girl crying her face adorn with upset as she clutched her writhing body. He had no words, nothing to say and nothing to do. He was lost looking into her eyes they just looked like pools of deep despair and hurt something that he had never seen so much in another person. He'd already seen the dark depths of eyes that were scared beyond belief. He'd seen fearful eyes of others but never had he seen eyes that could look so beautifully still while brimming with the agony of emotional heartbreak.

He kneeled next to her and lifted his hand to touch her but just as he was inches from her off white skin she stopped him by screaming in agony that almost deafened the Uchiha.

He blinked at her as her body lay still her eyes now empty of anything , her breath had steadied very suddenly and her body was motionless before him .His eyes grew wide as he turned her.

"Sakura?" He asked wishing for her to say something. She did not. Just lay there in his arms lifeless as ever before.

He repeated himself slightly louder thinking she hadn't heard but still she lay quietly.

He lowered his head.

Her flawless white skin was now stained with her own blood from the wound that she was clutching. Itachi's eyes fell upon it trying to examine it and helpless feeling overcame his body making him try desperately to heal her. "Sakura, come on" He said in a desperate last attempt to wake her. He pushed his hands onto her wound letting the deep red substance cover his arms while she led still motionless on Itachi's lap getting soaked from the hard rain.

Itachi sat still with her led over his knees. He wouldn't cry he didn't know how, feelings had been banished from him to make him the ultimate Shinobi.

He had one of his hands in Sakura's sodden hair and let the rain cleanse her body with the rain drops that fell from the grey morning sky.

He picked her up and carried her into the lake letting himself get wet. She was in the water and he let the cool blue water wash over her stomach. He wished for her to react, to say something or to hit him stupidly. But she did none of the sort. She just let Itachi do as he pleased with her frail body.

He then led her back on the bank of the river and placed her hands together on her stomach before reaching for a kunai.

He didn't know what had happened to her or why but if he was classed as the murderous villain of another murder what else could they do to him. He pierced through his own skin and then let his kunai slice into Sakura's already open wound.

Whatever had happened, the un-known burden Sakura was carrying was now his problem. He could deal with another problem, because now he was alone.

Then he felt it, like a melodic string on a harp snapping and curling up, he knew this feeling was wrong but he'd never felt it so deep before. He didn't know how to stop it but when he looked at her face it was there , pain.

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**((Sakura))**

**((Real life))**

She'd watched him, ever facial expression he made while going through her technique. She didn't know what he'd seen or why he'd seen it but as she watched his pale face show some expression she was lost.

She had no idea of what to do. She could see him mouthing her name but couldn't hear him and she saw him upset. Something she'd thought she'd never see from him.

She had to stop this before it went to far.

If she didn't he could physically harm himself and not even realise.

She placed her hands together. "Dispel" She shouted loudly.

Itachi's ruby eyes then shot open and stared at her before falling backwards onto the floor.

"I'm sorry Itachi-kun, I didn't mean too-" Itachi cut her off with a look of rejoice.

He stood and reached his hand out touching her hair.

She smiled knowing Itachi was fine but then a piercing pain was felt in her stomach and she looked down seeing Itachi's hand bloodied with a kunai pierced into her stomach.

"Don't let your guard down" He said a smirk leaving his face as soon as it came.

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**((Itachi))**

He'd plunged a kunai into her and she fell backwards clutching her stomach, cussing at him violently.

She then got up and looked at him."It's a good job I can heal myself" She said angrily.

Itachi watched her walk away and let the smirk grace his features again.

"You're strong Sakura-san"

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A/n : A big thankyouu tooo

**SpeedDemon315**

**SweetAssasin **

**SaRaH13WV**

**Mezumi Azuma **

**Riiiceballe**

- you guys rock my stripy socks :D you make me wanna make the chapter come quicker just so I can see what happens :P

Teheee :D:D

I love youuu guys :D

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

RYOUKOx


	15. I wont kill you

**Chapter 14**

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Wooh hallelujah for long chapters. Am I right?

* * *

**Sakura**

Standing and walking away from Itachi she threw around cursed words hating Itachi for being so un-expected. Hating herself for being so naive and hating Itachi for having the power over her for the moments where she thought she'd conquered him. Her face screwed up while she angrily walked away, ignoring the shiny, blood covered kunai that stuck out of her stomach painlessly.

She neared the lake behind a large tree and sat down, her feet were aching and her head actually felt quite giddy from slow loss of blood and she also figured this must have been a side–effect from the un-practised jutsu. She ignored it though by placing her pale feet into the blue water.

Her chakra accumulated carefully, she pulled out the kunai and placed it to her left gently poking her fingers inside the wound cleaning it then re covering the tissue to heal it. It hurt slightly but nothing un-bearable obviously but as she removed her warm chakra filled touch the cold wind shocked her as it blew against the newly constructed skin cells. She held her breath getting used to the dramatically decreased temperature and buttoned her Akatsuki cloak around her. She was disgusted at the fact that she'd been beaten and so easily at a kunai to her stomach. The point where she had Itachi in her grip and it had all been lost.

But the one thing that screwed Sakura's mind up to almost breaking point was that, She'd never know what Itachi had dreamt. His un-known worst nightmares spilled out in front of him without concent and she'd never know what messed him up enough to make him act in the wierdest manner she'd think she'd ever seen any Uchiha.

The water started feeling cold the dark chilling feeling travelling over her body. Sakura rubbed her feet once taking them out of the water in a desperate attempt to warm herself up and slipped her black sandals back on. She stood up facing the deep blue lake where she'd just been peacefully sitting. Her gaze fixed on it she ignored the sound of light footsteps nearing her. The sound of Itachi walking behind her, one she'd gotten used to. She could tell it was him through the time between each step he took it was always the same unless something was wrong, He had a certain way of walking in which you could tell just by listening that he wasn't worried about anything. She heard the black cloak that he owned move and snap back slightly at this fierce wind.

He stood inches behind her and looked in the same direction in to the beautiful blue lake when Sakura knew something was happening around them. She wasn't sure if Itachi could feel the sudden movements and even if he could sense company around them. He didn't seem to want to doanything about it so she chose to act on it alone.

She threw a kunai in through a bunch of leaves and jumped backwards landing almost gracefully onto the branch of a nearby tree.

"3 steps to your left, across the lake. Watch yourself!" She said ignoring the fact that Itachi stood there motionless to her sudden movement. She watched as he moved to his left and the several katana missed him by merely inches.

_A trap_

Inwardly she laughed thinking what kind of imbecile would think of such an idiotic, un-affective trap. Throwing katana seemed an obvious give away, whether this was the distraction to a bigger plan she had no clue but by the way the katana hit the tree she was standing on and how Itachi missed them with ease gave her the inkling that it wasn't a distraction, this was their plan. Jumping back down she heard the person hidden in the bushes whimper slightly before standing. His spiky hair stood out in all different directions and he mumbled into a walkie talkie or something similar, to team mates she assumed. He'd lost his cover and given it away quite easily.

"It's too late for that" She said running across the cold water and holding the spiky haired boy up under a shadowed tree. He was wearing an ANBU mask that was fitted loosely around his head covering his face.

She smirked. "How pathetic"

The ANBU stayed as quiet as a mouse staring through the eye holes of his mask. She could see his cerulean blue orbs staring at her through his off-white mask and she giggled at the leaf village crest upon the top of the same mask.

It didn't faze her much anymore that she was a missing Nin. She craved to be back in Konaha with Sasuke, Naruto and Kakashi just doing idiotic D rank missions between the three of them constantly. But once leaving she knew she was stronger.

They were separated, Naruto back in his beloved home town training to bring back his best friend and become the future Hokage.

Sasuke was gone, where? No-one knew and any possible traces that were left by Orochimaru where supposed to be dug up by Sakura , but at present time she'd been travelling for longer than a while and had found nothing of any use to her.

And now her too, after being taught basically the same as Konaha's current Hokage and leaving Konaha in pursuit of Sasuke, the trio of Genin were now apart from each other , further than they'd ever imagined in the first few months they spent together.

To Sakura she wished they'd all stay together forever and when they weren't being trained anymore that they'd pass each other in Konaha's main street and reminisce about how they used to be when they were younger. Naruto would still poke fun at Sasuke, laughing about how moody he used to be when he was young and Sasuke would laugh at Naruto's obsession with being Hokage. Then Sakura would laugh at them both and say about how much she loved them. That they were all she ever needed in life. Sasuke would look distant knowing that he felt the same for Sakura and Naruto as she did for them. Naruto would smile crossing his arms behind his head and giggle happily.

She thought they'd all know how much they meant to each other and that they'd grow up protecting Konaha. A part of the Konaha family.

But all that had been lost. It was gone completely and never would there be a possibly chance of it now. Not since she'd betrayed them. Betrayed, everything.

She looked back at the blue eyes and held back a tear for her dream of Konaha.

She pulled her hand up and removed the boy's mask. The boy took a breath almost choking on it.

"Sakura-chan?"

The familiar voice rang through her head painful as it had ever felt. It stung her like a deep cut and she let go of him letting him recover himself. Her hands were still raised and she shook in pure terror.

She looked back at the boy who leaned against a tree panting for breath and running a hand through his spiky blonde hair.

_Naruto-kun_ Her heart ran at an un-capable speed and her body flew into a cold sweat. She could even smell him now on her hands.

The bushes rustled again and Naruto was soon joined by fellow ANBU and a Hokage Sakura could never forget. She took a few paces back and noticed that Itachi was no where to be seen. She was glad though, she could feel no detachment pain over her body so he was obviously close and well hidden. She also thanked the fact that if Itachi would have been there he might see her, her emotions. Something that now was forbidden around Itachi.

In front of her stood the friends that she could never forget, in a familiar combination stood Hinata, Neji and Kiba joined with Tsunade at their side.

She wanted to cry seeing them look so grown up. She'd never seen them like this , she'd always been part of it. She'd be stood between Hinata and Naruto a kunai raised near her chest waiting for the enemy to strike.

When she looked at them though, she could see something that she'd never seen before, none of them contained pure hate towards her, all that was there was a deep pain that wrenched through them as they sure her stood in front of them.

As if they were all told that Sakura was actually alive and setting out at that moment. After living with the fact that their friend had died and then having to know that it was all a possible lie and now they'd have to go and capture her to bring her back to Konaha if she was actually living at all. She felt in-complete, In Konaha she was seen as Sakura the Nin who was never really amazing at any techniques. Out of Konaha, they knew shed left, Heck they thought she'd died.

She looked back at Naruto who had re-gained his place to Hinata.

"Sakura" Tsunade said looking at the pink haired ninja who stood before her, the only kunoichi that knew every one of her techniques and could copy them with ease. Their abilities matched and Sakura having the upper hand at her age and also having hidden jutsu Tsunade had never seen.

It had always been in practise in Sakura's spare time. It wasn't ever a jutsu that Tsunade could help Sakura with. It was her own.

Tsunade had seen Sakura in a praising light. She worked hard and had a positive look on her life, willing to give her life for Konaha as any ninja should. Yet now she was stronger, her mental capability was at a higher level than before and she was there in front of her once fellow ANBU team mates, betraying them, willing to fight them.

The few years that she'd trained Sakura were enjoyable. She enjoyed showing her knowledge and seeing inspiration in a kunoichi such as Sakura. She seemed to genuinely want to listen, she wanted to be strong and not be left in the back ground of her fellow team mates who knew so much power and determination.

Sakura had always been protected and that weakened her senses, making her think she would always be rescued.

Naruto stared at Sakura. There was no doubt in her former team mate's eyes that he had no intention of killing her. He was the future Hokage; anyone could tell him that without a doubt. Secretly everyone knew he never had competition for it and as he looked at Sakura he couldn't understand that a girl like her could ever betray Konaha so easily. He was against her for this by force and as she held a katana in her usual fighting stance he knew that she'd grown.

The two team mate's knew that they didn't want to kill each other, a necessary evil if you will.

Naruto had to be against her to become Hokage, missing Nin were to be captured and taken back to Konaha whether they liked it or not.

Sakura had no choice but to fight if she ever wanted to be with Sasuke ever again. It was up to the each of them, this was their fight.

Sakura was fixed on the fighting stance of her former team mates and tutor. She re-called memories that she'd spent with each of them that meant so much to her. They'd made deep impact upon her life even if they didn't realise it and here she was waiting to fight them.

The air turned cold and the pairs of eyes watching her directed themselves to Sakura's side and she knew without a glance that Itachi would be standing behind her his presence un-noticeable by anyone.

If anyone could hide themselves it would be Itachi.

She lowered her head to the side and the ANBU looked at Itachi in amazement. They soon clicked that Sakura and been with Itachi for a while but how he hadn't killed her was a mystery to them all but Tsunade who knew Sakura's plan upon her first glance at Itachi.

* * *

**Itachi**

Itachi knew the angered face of the kyuubi boy glaring at his pale skin and wanted to laugh at his childish stupidity. Tsunade was staring at him angrily also but the other ANBU looked all in shock at the pair that stood before them. Everything had fallen into place however mentally torturing it was.

"Sakura-chan, why are you doing this? Why are you with him? Why not come home? Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled his angered face swirling into a pleading look as he shot questions at Sakura. She didn't answer and Naruto tried this again with similar questions.

"Sakura-chan" He said quieter taking a step forward only to be stopped by the male Hyuuga's arm. The Hyuuga and the kyuubi mumbled angrily at each other and Naruto took a step back. Sakura seemed upset but was blocking out the words that had crawled into her head making her re-call memories that she'd wished were forgotten when she left Konaha.

Itachi knew this feeling better than anyone when he returned to Konaha that time. He didn't leave his gaze from the ANBU but knew Sakura was now facing away from them. She took a couple of un-steady steps and then stopped.

"I cannot fight with you" she said aloud grasping everyone's attention away from Itachi. No one spoke back to her and waited for her to carry on. "It would be pointless for me to waste my time on you. The more time I waste the less time I have" She said. Itachi mentally complimented her, she sounded strong and..._Emotionless_.

"I do not care for Konaha any longer, It is merely a town were I learnt my skills and readied myself for this. I have no use in fighting you. So please go home and leave me declared dead. I'd rather that than have you be killed by someone who is perceived as dead" She spoke loudly. Her body movements could be read by only Itachi now, without even looking at her and he could tell she wasn't holding back tears but her heart was beating erratically in her chest and her breath was beginning to increase wildly. Whether the Konaha nin knew this also was a very low percentage seeing as they were lulled by her voice sounding so confident.

"But Saku-"The kyuubi stopped being interrupted.

"I'm not finished" She said quieter. "I'm only out of Konaha on a mission. And since leaving, I haven't missed being the insignificant kunoichi, the one who gets protected. I'm not that person anymore" Her voice had grown slightly weaker and he could tell that to say that was her accepting herself inwardly.

She took a large breath. "I will find him, Sasuke is my goal"

The words sliced through Itachi's brain waves. She didn't want him there; she would be happily rid of him in that instant if she could. She was keeping him around for protection.

Using him.

He wanted to know for a start then who did she think she was. No one could go around using Uchiha Itachi, he was a murderer, the sharingan master and she had been using him as protection like a child.

Inside of him cringed. For all this time she'd been looking for Sasuke her goal was clear. She didn't personnaly want him there, She needed him for her own sake.

He turned his head and could see her out of the corner of his ruby eyes. She was hunched over a bit and leaning against a tree. "I need him" She said in nothing more than a whisper and it seemed that the world had started spinning slower then for her to say those words. The words that amde Itachi want to hurt her, the words that made him want to hold her up by her neck and ask for her to say them again just t make sure.

The kunai he was holding had pierced his skin and he enjoyed the feel of it slicing through his anger was channeled and taking it out on himself wasn't something he'd wanted to do. They were so similar yet so far apart.

"Because a ninja is a tool" He said quietly repeating the words of his deceased father that ran through him. His father being someone he hated through and through he did say some things that Itachi would never forget.

That's what they were, that's what they would always be, If not to each other than to someone else. At present time, He was a tool in protecting her from anything in harms way, and she was a tool in locating his brother easier.

They were helping each other for their own personal benefits.

* * *

**Sakura**

But however much of a tool Sakura felt she was she couldn't kill those who were so precious to her while focusing on something more. It would be a most pointless regret that she'd hold inside of her for longer than forever causing her instant pain in keeping someone from their dreams. Especially Naruto, everyone knew as soon as Sasuke left that he would become Hokage, it was his dream and however ludicrous it seemed she knew in her heart that he could accomplish it so easily.

Although the feeling inside of her to say that she had killed her own close friends in pursuit of the one she loved while capturing his older brother would be the most compelling thing she'd ever felt, to tell Sasuke that, he'd never see her as so weak, so meaningless.

She'd be a true ninja in her own eyes.

Emotionless, yes that may be the case but she'd keep the little box of her feelings locked away inside of her and slowly but upon finding her true love they'd open.

That was the way that she'd be from now on, an un-breakable Sakura who couldn't let anyone below the surface.

She stared around her, breaking her thoughts while she wondered what to do. She gazed upon the heartbroken faces of the ANBU that almost surrounded her and Itachi completely. She felt like a caged animal at a pet shop.

Upon her were glaring eyes, eyes that didn't want to look at her because it hurt but then had the slight inkling to look just in case they were imagining it.

That what she was, something that people had wished to have forgotten about but then they looked didn't want to tear their eyes away.

She clenched her right fist in frustration and whipped her head away from the friends that she no longer needed. Walking further past Itachi he turned his head in her direction without a word.

She learnt from Itachi that sometimes speech wasn't needed to express emotions and questions sometimes need not to be asked. At this present time by moving his heading her direction Itachi's un-spoken question was "What do you want me to do with them?"

To answer this she stood still for a few moments silently as the ANBU stared at her and Itachi like hawks. She then began to slowly walk towards a tree before turning to face the ANBU. "I'm sorry, Hinata, Neji, Kiba, Tsunade".

She looked straight at Naruto and knew that Itachi would spare Naruto for his jinchuuriki. She was distant from him and put herself past the moments where she wished to run into Naruto's arms and tell him how much she'd missed him and how she'd never leave him again. She wanted to hold him close and tell him that she'd stay in Konaha as a medic, heal him when he returned from missions and treat him to ramen at Ichiraku once or twice. But looking at his lined face she knew this wouldn't be the last time that Naruto would be in her life.

"I'll be at the lake" She said before turning to leave Itachi and the ANBU to a brutal fight. Sakura had said her goodbyes; now all that she was waiting for were the deafening screams as Itachi ripped their mind into shreds causing their insanity to reach a level where they'd be willing to plead for death.

Like every other sorry victim Itachi didn't need in his life.

* * *

**Itachi**

He calculated their weaknesses. The Hyuuga clan were always worse off than the Uchiha clan and Itachi had sparred many times with Hinata's father when she was only a child.

He presumed that Neji and Hinata would have the inherited abilities from their elders. He enjoyed the fact that they were both good at hand to hand combat and long distance shots.

Kiba Inuzuka – he wasn't very familiar with him, or his family for that matter. His chakra levels weren't very strong and his control levels were at a minimal stage. Other than that were Tsunade and Naruto. Tsunade would have the immense in-human strength that Sakura had picked up on and her healings abilities and Naruto, Itachi was already clued up on.

He had a wonderful jinchuuriki and Itachi could see the deep power that ran through Naruto's veins. And felt despair as the lone kyuubi watched as another one of his best friends walked slowly away from him into another life.

Itachi knew what it was like to be left alone, to be looked at differently.

He was always seen as an individual, but never accepted. He was his father's pride and joy, his hard work paying off, a worthy heir to the uchiha clan one day. To his mother he was the wonderful son who did as he was told and could sit with her for hours saying nothing but completely understanding each other.

Yet deep within them Itachi could see their disgust. Their son was silent most of the time and when he did speak it was usually in un-fathomable riddles or rudely to someone who spoke to him in the wrong way.

To his fellow ANBU he was polite but nothing more and no one had really seen a true smile from Itachi except his brother, the only person who didn't seem his as the conqueror because to Sasuke he was not "the ultimate ninja tool".

His brother saw him as that, a brother. Itachi remembered how Sasuke would sit and watch him practise, pin pointing precise details on a pad of paper and then explaining how Itachi could improve it the next time he trained. Sasuke was a smart boy; he knew right from wrong and was very good with chakra control from a very young age. It was sure enough the tips Sasuke had made were true and Itachi knew them also. He felt that he knew everything a lot of the time; it was scolded into his head like he was some sort of branded animal. It scared him to think that there was nothing he couldn't answer correctly.

He was always too good and was looked upon as the Uchiha boy with the amazing skill. He wasn't ever an actual person, he was merely a social weapon used by his father to show the wealth and power that the Uchiha clan had over others. Personally, although Itachi could never say, he morally despised this. He didn't care who the more powerful clan were but pretty soon it was drilled into his head and Itachi got used to training hard to keep the family happy.

It seemed his only purpose most days, that and ANBU missions or training.

He'd been past his school years and soon felt he wasn't needed for anything more than his talents in ANBU.

He began to think more deeply about the purpose he had in his life and saw his life leading to something more, somewhere where he wasn't used as an item and was treated like a person. This was un-achievable at the age he was and he was being held back by his family for being himself, for being alone, for being skilled.

And now he was faced again with a task that he was being used for. He understood that this was an emotional thing for Sakura and he did indeed like to see his own power at work.

He raised his pale hands and made hand signs as Kiba and his scrawny mutt ran towards him while Kiba made signs for a technique Itachi understood to be "Gatsuuga". The pair both turned into what looked a lot like giant screw drivers and hurtled towards Itachi.

Itachi, not wanting to waste his strength or chakra on such a worthless opponent jumped to a nearby tree where he could stop the duo easier.

The air in the higher ground was damp and made Itachi feel claustrophobic slightly. It disgusted him and he grew angered at the fact that he was running around for someone else.

He replaced himself upon the floor and focused his powerful chakra into both arms which the ANBU obviously hadn't noticed as they just stared at him wondering why he wasn't doing anything.

The Inuzuka duo stood behind Itachi their faces swirled into angry glares at the man who showed no emotion. The dog, which from Itachi's observations, was called Akamaru was a clone of Kiba and bit fiercely into Itachi's arm yet was quickly deflected as the chakra running through Itachi's arm flew into the mutt's mouth sending him hurtling backwards spitting blood over himself.

Itachi turned accumulating chakra as he ran towards Kiba quickly. He got close and Kiba blocked the attacked seeming un-harmed but suddenly the life-like clone turn into a cloud of smoke and Itachi hit Kiba from behind sending him quickly and forcefully into a tree. Itachi smiled disturbingly as he heard the ribs in Kiba's chest bend and snap at the hit.

Kiba feeling how painful this was clutched his chest as an un-transformed Akamaru crawled over to Kiba.

"What are you doing? Sakura-chan said that she wasn't fighting!" The kyuubi boy shouted at Itachi as Kiba heaved struggling to keep a normal pace of breath.

Naruto's eyes glowed with the power he contained. Itachi could do nothing but smirk beneath the large neckband that covered any emotions he could ever possibly show.

He watched as Kiba lay on the floor, he knew if he wanted to that badly Kiba could fight, likewise to his mangy mutt.

"She doesn't need you" Itachi stated as he ran towards Kiba. Itachi pulled Kiba up by his neck and held him high above Itachi. Slightly squeezing his neck Akamaru yapped loudly. Itachi's grip tightened and Kiba struggled to keep his chest moving at all.

He threw him up and as Kiba began to land Itachi pierced a kunai through the boy's stomach. He would've wished he'd get a fight out of these ANBU but seeing as they'd let their friend die without any objection made Itachi wonder what they were doing.

They stood there while one of there own got slaughtered in front of their very own eyes. The fact that when Itachi was ANBU he was told to stick up for his team and these guys seemed to watch without bated breath as their team mate died confused Itachi.

He then looked closer at the back of the profoundly dead Kiba; his neck had three circles upon the back of it. Meaning he was a clone. Itachi quickly got over the fact that he had been deceived and turned his attention to the only ANBU who had shown any interest in the fact that Itachi had massacred Kiba.

Naruto took a few steps back and Itachi pinned the matured boy to a tree. He pulled a kunai and lightly pressed it against Naruto's neck. Naruto gulped slightly.

"I won't kill you" Itachi stated pressing the kunai further into the un-pierced skin. Naruto hesitated, wondering if Itachi was lying or not.

* * *

**Naruto**

His breath slowed at the words Itachi had said.

He felt at least a little at ease, anyone would knowing that they wouldn't be killed by a mass murdering villain such as the one that stood before Naruto.

He balled his fists inside his ANBU shirt's sleeves. This was un-fair, Sakura wouldn't even listen to him and he was risking his neck here for her and she had just walked away from him. Like before.

In his life he'd never had anyone; in his life Naruto was alone. And after Sasuke left he had full confidence in Sakura that she'd stay there with him in Konaha forever. That she'd be the one welcoming back Sasuke and Naruto after missions. But here she was missing her chance, walking away from her home leaving Naruto.

He didn't know where she was now. He even doubted her personality; he'd never been around Itachi so long as to pick up his traits. Though Sakura seemed to have somewhat mastered the skill of being emotionless around people she loved dearly. Naruto knew this, from nights before in Konaha where the two of them would have the occasional too many bottles of Sake and they tell each other how they'd never leave one another. Sakura would get upset about Sasuke and say the Team 7 were her closest thing to family and he didn't have to tell her that he felt the same, She already knew. They'd mumble about bringing Sasuke back and alot of the time Naruto would get angry and storm out stumbling to the Konaha gates late at night. sakura would always stop him, saying that he couldn't do it alone and they needed clues for it. She'd hug him and tell him how sorry she was that she couldn't stop him and Naruto would tell her it wasn't her fault before they recided back home and drank more.

He choked up inside and wanted to hit Itachi. He was the reason that he'd lost two of the most important people in his life. He wanted to scream out and tell him how much he hated him for making Sasuke leave and he wanted to hit him continuously for making Sakura help him.

Yet, he couldn't find it inside of him to do it. He let Itachi hold him up on the tree and contemplated what he would do.

He kicked Itachi back off of him and the Sharingan master merely took a few steps from Naruto. Naruto gathered his rasengan and threw himself at Itachi. Wishing for Itachi to curl up in pain was something that Naruto didn't expect and however much he wanted to see Itachi writhing in pain he knew he wouldn't.

Itachi held the rasengan in his own hands taking it from Naruto. His face full off pure shock Naruto scuttled backwards and leant against the tree. Itachi grew inches away from Naruto's face holding the rasengan close between them.

"I'll need you for other purposes" He said. The rasengan was gone and Itachi stood quite a couple of metres away from Naruto.

Naruto didn't know what to do as he found his heart beating in his throat.

He looked to the ground before he heard movement.

But upon looking back up, Itachi was gone.

* * *

I'll be honest. I lost my plot for this chapter so if it's a bit wishy washy I apoligize.

Personally I didn't think this went very well but hey !

It lasted out for about 5 pages nods

Well reviews if you please ill message back If and when I can :D

xxxx

RYOUKOx

Next chapter will start when I find the plot xD


	16. The Uchiha Prison Blissful Hate

**Chapter 15**

**Itachi**

He stood away from her letting the cold wind blow against his pale face while the roseate ninja that seemed to have the ultimate control over him gazed over the sapphire blue lake in front of her. Her long hair dangled behind her swaying very slowly as the wind blew over her strong figure.

She stood tall and Itachi knew she was hiding her troubled feelings behind a wall of distant emotions.

Whether she was crying he was un-sure, he then took into account that he was pin pointing every part of her that he enjoyed.

"_Enjoyed?" _

He questioned himself.

Never in his life had he ever cared to take notice of anyone in particular, but now some associate of his brother was grasping his attention like a moth to a flame.

The sheer fact that anyone was distracting his attention disturbed him, but of all people, a meaningless medic ninja.

He'd never been social with anyone other than an occasional conversation. Even with Kisame, the only real thing they'd discuss was mission details or instructions. Anything else Kisame said in relation to Itachi's life was shunned and un-said.

But now she was flooding his mind, standing there in his thoughts attaching herself to every part of everything he thought about. He wanted to shake her out of his head and stay as the Itachi who never saw anyone as anything other than an object to amuse his killer instinctive mind.

He watched her ball up her fists realising Itachi's cold gaze was wandering over her body.

He couldn't deny the fact that he was staring at her and he hated that she could make him look at her for something more than pure hatred.

He could hear her taking a deep breath and hold it inside of her chest before speaking to him.

She slowly let it out and her body trembled worriedly.

"What do you want?" She spoke slowly, her voice in a low tone as it held back un-wanted tears making her voice sound almost shaky with emotion.

Itachi didn't want to see her face, to see her tear filled eyes and trembling bottom lip would distract him from his anger pin pointed towards her for using him so literally still. He clenched his own fists, her literal questions that were quickly becoming as rude and formal as his own aggravated him greatly but he calmed himself wondering whether he needed to take his anger out on someone who was only doing the exact same treatment as he was.

"Does it matter?" He muttered a hint of un-known appeal entering his usual monotone voice. And he almost let a chuckle escape his lips as he heard her take back a hesitant breath.

His usual slow paced steps took him paces towards her and stopped about a few centimetres away from her, staring at the back of her head. Sakura twisted her body, not realising Itachi was so close behind her and almost fell into him. He let his arms reach out to catch her in case she fell but she steadied herself while he mentally cursed himself for showing signs of caring. Sakura drew her attention to his feet then consciously looked up showing him her tear filled eyes stuck with millions of feelings compressed into watery drops.

He said nothing to her but watched as she let the tears fall from her eyes and roll down her slightly reddened cheeks, either reddened from the cold breeze that surrounded them or out of embarrassment he didn't care to venture.

And likewise she spoke not a word to him but observed the softened look that graced his usually stern features almost showing compassion for someone other than himself.

She must have seen some importance in the S-class missing ninja to show him her weak, helpless side.

Whether it was to show him that she needed him or to lure him into sudden events he didn't know, Nor did he take on either of the possibilities.

Itachi felt of no use while gazing into her jade orbs and tore his eyes away from her while taking a step or two away from her without realising.

"I'm sorry" She blurted and turned away walking away so that she was a slight distance from him, facing herself away from Itachi leaving him to stare at her trembling figure while she stopped herself from crying more, he let a slight smile brush across his lip and un-buttoned his large neckband to reveal his handsome face.

Sakura soon stopped trembling and took back continuous deep breaths to calm herself. Itachi understood that she hadn't seen the clones and that to her, her ex- ANBU team mates had been mentally tortured to death by the person that she'd been trusting with her life.

She knew nothing of the fact that only her best friend had been there in person to see her in the flesh and he didn't think she needed to know that he was the only one.

To her Naruto, the other ANBU and her former teacher had been massacred and left to lay lifeless on the cold grassy floor just metres away from the two of them.

And maybe that was for the best, it would kill her to know that Itachi had lied but in his own opinion friends and family were boundaries in the way of success.

They made it just that little bit un-reachable in their current state.

He realised that yes, for all Shinobi consequences are different and family influences were different but still knew the lingering fact that to see a loved one killed would be weakness in that certain shinobi's heart whether they liked it or not.

For him, this problem had been indefinitely solved.

He strolled gently behind her realising there was some distance between the two of them after a rough five minutes of thinking. It was entirely obvious that at the moment Sakura was in no physical or mental condition to go on and find his brother in her current state. Itachi knew where he would be heading roughly from both natural instincts and the fact that he and Kisame had already covered a large amount of land while under Akatsuki missions.

After being only a few inches away from her Itachi let himself whisper a reply to her statement into her ear.

"For what?"

She made herself still and Itachi took the moment. He lifted his arm while gathering his strong chakra then gently touching her on the head as she fell to the floor un-conscious.

She fell down hard and he knew that without a doubt when she awoke she'd feel it five times worse than when she would if she'd generally fallen.

Sakura never was one to complain about her injuries but she'd know that this certain injury was the fault of a certain elder Uchiha brother.

He bent down carefully, his shadow darkening her face and making her usual bright features darken with un-seen emotions. He slid his strong arms underneath her fragile body and raised her from the floor. Her hair bounced softly over his hands and her peaceful face was transfixing his eyes onto her almost flawless beauty, Itachi had trouble tearing his eyes away and he jumped to a tree to stop himself from staring.

The air above ground was still damp and the thick gloomy atmosphere could've been easily sliced with a knife. Itachi shifted Sakura and she lay across his arms as if the couple had just been married which made Itachi sigh to think he was helping another.

He headed west while she was sleeping keeping a close eye both on Sakura and for enemies. Her head bobbed slightly every time Itachi landed on the next tree and he couldn't help but check to see if she was okay on each jump and more than a few times her long faded magenta locks would fall into her face and he carefully lift them away.

It was like he _cared_ for her?

She began to mumble re-gaining slight consciousness as expected. A muffled "sorry" began to break open from her lips making Itachi wonder if she was still under her un-conscious spell. The word was repeated while her brow furrowed and her eyelids lay covering her wonderful emerald orbs.

Her cheeks flushed red and maintained there scarlet blush while she uttered her infuriated "sorry" word over and over again.

Itachi wanted terribly to reach out his cold hand and lay it against her cheek calming her and stopping the repetitive apologising.

It was all too easy for Itachi; he would carry her in his arms like a frail infant and check her breathing every few seconds. Any complications that he found he would stop thoroughly checking if she was okay. Her breath was slow most of the time but had points were it would suddenly quicken and her lungs must have been working overtime by the pained expression on her face. It was difficult, Sakura's breathing had quickened and as much as he hated to admit it but deep down inside of him he had this feeling, it was almost like panic.

The nearest tree was to his left and as his black sandals hit the strong main branch he instantly propped Sakura up against the trunk of the huge tree. He pulled up on of the sleeves on her cloak and felt for her pulse.

The beat of blood in her fragile wrist was twice its normal rate and he could have sworn that the more he felt the blood moving the louder he could her it pulsating the his own ear drums.

He shook his head and steadied himself before releasing chakra into her blood stream. It was to calm her and he inwardly congratulated himself at calming her recently heightened nerves.

Her normal slow breathing patterns then gradually returned and she lay peacefully upon the tree trunk.

Her chest moved up and down slowly and her striking pink hair drew his attention to her pleasing facial features.

She looked exquisite even while being un-conscious.

He reached forward laying his own hand upon her calm moving chest but drew back as one small single tear fell from her closed eyes and rolled down her cheek.

He lifted his rough, scarred hands and let it catch the tear in its trail down her porcelain face.

He looked at his hands, pale and scuffed up with cuts and bruises from many days of shuriken practise and other types of training.

How could he ever begin to understand that his own jagged and aged hands could ever touch her soft and delicate skin?

If he did such a thing with her knowing he would be dying inside to show her imperfection.

The large sun was slowly setting and the large, dark shadows started to cast upon everything, leaving the air eerie around the two shinobi who became cold under growing night sky.

Itachi released his in-famous chakra once again into Sakura's bloodstream keeping her un-conscious for the night; he needed time to think, to search his mind for the ever growing thoughts he was having for Sakura.

Denying them was only proving to him how often he thought about her and letting them linger in his head distracted him from nearly everything making his lose his guard and be vulnerable to enemy attacks.

He needed a solution, one that he knew would take him more then forever to find.

He glanced across; a roseate kunoichi lay un-conscious about a metre or so away from him. If it was anyone else, why would he look twice at them? Why was it that this one, insignificant girl had been flooding his mind like so un-curable disease?

Her hand was gracefully lying next to her, fingers slightly moving, drawing his attention. He shifted his weight, moving towards her then carefully picking up her peachy skinned hands. It was light and lay limp in his strong hand. A simple twist of her hand and he could've have easily snapped every bone beneath her flesh.

It struck him at that point; he was in complete control of her.

Being un-conscious gave him the upper hand.

He squeezed her hand hating her for everything that he was going through. For making him release emotions back into his everyday life, for making him feel so helpless.

He slowly released his grip, the fact that he had the upper hand due to her consciousness made her vulnerable and an easy target for him.

He didn't want to take advantage of this fact and channelled his hate inside of himself.

He bat her hand away and it fell un-comfortably on her clothed stomach.

The stars of the night sky had began to light up the darkness around him and he stood letting the cold wind blow over his face as he un-buttoned his large neck-band.

He glanced back, checking the kunoichi's breathing patterns while towering above her.

The reason for stealing a glance at her is something he didn't answer.

Because caring for her or loving the way she looked while un-conscious were two things that Uchiha Itachi would not lured by.

He began to turn away from her not wanting to pay her an attention but a certain set of beautiful jade green eyes sleepily opened and focused themselves upon a dark haired Shinobi, who was, without a doubt, caring for her.

He couldn't take much more, he had to do something and so it was decided that he would head in the directions Sakura had told him Sasuke was.

Sliding his strong arms underneath her and lifting her lulled her back to sleep and Itachi inwardly sighed enjoying the fact that he still had time to structure a believable excuse for hitting her un-conscious.

Her borrowed Akatsuki cloak was obviously too large for her seeing as Itachi barely fit into his and as Itachi moved from tree to tree more than a few times it slowly crept open revealing the pale skin upon her healed stomach.

He remembered healing her; it felt like such a long time ago that they had been in the hotel room.

She'd not known who he was and he'd healed her.

The whole concept of him healing her still bewildered him beyond belief but inwardly he congratulated himself. He hadn't done a bad job.

He stared at her long strands of pink hair.

He always knew that it felt un-cannily familiar. It wasn't at all often that he'd see someone with such vibrant hair and eye colour.

Especially pink and jade.

"_Well it's her own fault" His younger brother carelessly complained. _

_A bunch of young girls his brother's age made kissing sounds and coo's at Sasuke as Itachi removed him from the situation._

_Sasuke wriggled and grunted wanting to be released as Itachi held his shoulders; walking him away from what had happened._

_Sasuke looked back at the group of girls who would hang on to his every word. He knew they were all the same, but she'd stood out and gotten hit on the arm for it. Itachi turned his head letting his eyes wander over to the way Sasuke had been looking._

_One girl Sasuke looked at particularly was being, what looked like, severely talked to by an older woman while the other girls giggled and poked fun at the pink haired girl who rubbed her bruising arm._

_Itachi knelt down to Sasuke's level ready to ask him what had happened to the girl but as he did so Sasuke let a mischievous grin slide over his face before poking out his pointy red tongue and running away. Itachi sighed and stood up waiting for Sasuke to look back in order to be chased but as he did Itachi's attention drew to loud shouting and hurtful comments that ere being thrown around again by the same bunch of girls._

_Sasuke had already given up on his game and was now taking no notice as Itachi watched the pink haired girl get numerous punches thrown at her from a bunch of older girls while the younger females stood watching and cheering. _

_The pink girl cried out for them to stop but they didn't and slowly the younger girls stopped jeering and began to walk away._

_Itachi didn't know what to do, it wasn't his place to run in and tell them to stop. Sasuke didn't seem too worried and for all he knew this could've been a regular thing for the pink haired girl._

_He waved his hand at Sasuke and he ran over his little head bobbing as he ran. _

_Itachi looked back once more remembering what she'd looked like before he left her out of sight._

_Inside of him felt empty for her, it was wrong that he observed from a distance and then left her helpless but it wasn't his business._

"_There were many girls who got bullied what difference would one more make to the world" He thought as he caught up with Sasuke._

_Sasuke was always a boy who looked ahead of himself and often ran straight into roads with on-coming traffic or public._

_Itachi jogged slightly and caught up with Sasuke who was just about to walk into a road without looking._

_He held Sasuke by the shoulder's keeping him at a steady speed. _

"_So?" Itachi asked looking in front of him while Sasuke gazed up at his brother._

"_So what?" Sasuke queried._

"_What's her name?" Itachi specified looking down at Sasuke's puppy dog onyx eyes._

_Sasuke let a wide smirk spread across his little face as he put his hands on his hips and inflated his tiny chest proudly._

"_Her name's Sakura, Sakura Haruno" He smiled toothily sticking his clenched fist in the air and waving it around a little._

_Itachi let his own caring smile grace his features before speaking. "It is? And how do you know that?" he asked making Sasuke's inflated chest deflate leaving his younger brother dramatically heaving for breath._

_Itachi tilted Sasuke's head upwards to imply he wanted an answer. _

"_Well because she said she, uh... Well she" Sasuke struggled his face turning red with embarrassment as he threw his fists into his pockets and swayed his hips from left to right bashfully hiding his face._

_Itachi smiled at his brother's reddened cheeks._

"_Oh I see" He ruffled Sasuke's hair and Sasuke gave Itachi a pouty grin._

_Itachi shook his head making his shoulder length hair sway from side to side around his pale face._

_His younger brother stuck out his tiny hand at Itachi inches away from his face and Itachi smiled standing up and taking it in his own hand._

_The smile that spread across Sasuke's face made Itachi smile back at him and Sasuke pulled his brother along as they neared the gates of the Uchiha estate._

_Slowly Sasuke's hand slipped out of Itachi's and he ran on in front of his elder brother leaving Itachi to stroll on his own._

_Un-knowingly he let his mind wander back to her, the crying pink haired girl who was probably beaten to a pulp crawling home right now._

_He'd left her and now he didn't have a chance to help her._

_What was wrong with him?_

_Sasuke beckoned for Itachi to join him and for a moment Itachi began to walk inside of the Uchiha estate._

"_The Uchiha prison" Itachi thought staring at his sandals._

_He hated living there but what could he do about it, sooner or later he'd have to come to terms with the fact that he'd always have to live with them but for now it was blissful hate._

_Itachi gave a large smile to his brother and put his hand up to say he'd be back later and Sasuke smiled in acknowledgement._

_Heading back Itachi scratched his head, why was he even doing this?_

_It wouldn't make a difference; she probably wouldn't even be there when he turned up so why bother?_

_He might as well turn back home and forget it ever happened._

_The school was quite a way from the estate and as he neared the academy gates the sun left a dark red moon shining dimly over the Konaha sky._

_He stood at the gates of the academy were he'd barely spent any of his childhood. It had been so easy there he started to let his mind wander when he was somewhat rudely interrupted by the whimpers of someone in the near-by alley._

_He turned following the faint whimpering noises into the dark alleyway between a restaurant and clothes store._

_He almost felt shocked when he saw exactly what he been out looking for._

_The pink haired girl sat alone hugging her knees and sobbing into them softly._

_She was shadowed by a trash can and her face was barely visible apart from the small ray from a street lamp._

_He took a step closer to her and sat down opposite her silently without her noticing. _

"_Evening" He said staring at the cold floor beneath the two of them. She looked up at him a startled look adorned upon her face. Her jade eyes were dewy with tears that sparkled with the ray led dimly over her face._

_She stuttered not knowing what to say._

_Itachi smiled. "Yeah I know"._

_She hugged her knees closer to her petite body. "Wh-who are you?" She asked her voice sweetly coarse from crying. _

_Itachi avoided her question watching her shake. This was almost an everyday thing for Itachi, he was now completely used to talking to strangers and recently had gotten used to the way that they developed an immense difficulty in finding their words._

_This is what Itachi had un-fondly called the 'fear stutter'. _

"_What are you doing here?" He asked her in further pursuit to avoid her question._

_She tried to gather her words while Itachi peered at her. "Well, I was... I- I was" Itachi inwardly let out a sigh, thinking she too had picked up on he 'fear stutter'._

_Her face became angered taking Itachi by surprise. _

"_Fine, if you must know I got beaten up at school for liking Sasuke and now I can't go home because no one's there waiting for me and I left my key inside" She said, almost shouting at him and his shocked face._

_He shook of his sudden emotion._

"_What about you parents?" He asked humbly shift his weight so he was in a kneeling position._

"_I don't know much about them. I've never really met my Father and..." she looked distant as she spoke about her family and took a deep breath before continuing._

"_And mother works a lot so I only see her ever now and again" She looked to the floor little her short pink bangs hide her face from Itachi._

"_Oh" Itachi said feeling awkward. He decided it was best not to carry on with the subject._

"_Where do you live?" He asked standing up towering over her. She looked up._

"_The Haruno estate, with the Sakura tree" She hugged her knees again. Itachi felt awkward not wanting to leave her alone for the second time, even if she was oblivious to fact that he was there before._

"_I'll take you there, I'm sure Sasuke will tell our parents where I am" He said gazing down the open road of the academy in front of him._

_The pink haired girl looked at the 15 year old ANBU only now noticing the Uchiha crest that was on the back of his clothes._

_She opened her mouth to speak and said something that the elder Uchiha certainly wasn't expecting._

"_Your name is Itachi" She spoke un-sure of herself her wide green eyes staring at the dark haired shinobi before her. Itachi spoke nothing further but stared at her emptily shadowed face as she continued in what she was saying. "He speaks about you all the time, Sasuke-kun I mean" Itachi looked up; she continually shocked him with every word she spoke. It was like she was telling secrets that had been sworn to secrecy._

"_He says to everyone when he grows up he wants to be just like you. He says your real nice and that your captain in an ANBU squad" She said sounding proud that she'd paid so much attention to Sasuke. Itachi hated that he thought that, it should be a good thing that this girl liked his brother but he also felt a slight twinge of jealousy. He ignored himself and smiled selflessly. "Yeah, I guess so" His mind lingered over his little brother and the fact that he wanted to be just like him._

_He wasn't sure what to feel, He was proud obviously; someone was looking up to him and further more it was his younger brother._

_But how would Sasuke cope, in his childhood he was always spoilt. Itachi wasn't ever that sociable and after having seen such terrors while being ANBU he partly wanted to protect him._

_Sasuke's personality was soft and naïve. He wasn't a strong boy from practise; his genes made him a strong competitor._

_He returned his gaze to the pink haired girl before him remembering that he was going to take her home._

_He held out his hand in order to help her stand up but her shadowed face swirled into anger as she bat his hand away implying that she could get up by herself._

_Itachi inwardly laughed, no one had ever denied help from him but then again it wasn't at all often that he gave it out voluntarily._

_She pushed herself up the wall with her body still shadowed. She steadied herself against it as if it were a barrier and smiled at him with an "I-told-you-so" face before taking a step forward._

_He raised an eyebrow at her as she wobbled with her eyes dulled, lids half covering her jade green eyes. _

_Itachi raised his eyebrow further as she coughed a couple of times._

_She suddenly full forward and he threw his arms out catching her as she fell._

_Her jade eyes were now fully shut and as the light fell on her peachy skin he realised the cuts and scars that had been hidden by the darkness._

_Her left eye was surrounded by a large black patch and her skin was pale, bruised and cut_

_He let her lay limp in his arms as he ran a long finger over the deepest cut that ran from the side of her forehead all the way down her cheek. Her face swirled into a painful expression as his finger pressed down slightly harder on the cut._

_He jumped the alleyway behind them as they landed on the top of the Academy roof. He wasn't sure where the Haruno estate was he'd never really known there was a Haruno estate anywhere. He re-called her saying about a Sakura tree and there weren't many locally in Konaha._

_He looked at her seeing the crest on her shirt he remembered it and then he re-called the crest by a very shadowed Sakura tree just off the main Konaha street._

_He jumped through the buildings that surrounded the streets of Konaha before coming to a halt at the edge of the Konaha forest. He'd obviously gone way too far then needed but with the dark shadows surrounding him and tiny rays of moonlight shining though the trees there was no doubt that he was lost._

_He stood there taking in the dark gloomy surrounding that were usually so happy before jumping to a tree top listening to the pink haired girl mumble in her sleep._

_He couldn't make out any words because they all sounded slurred and disorientated. But she shivered as if she'd been left in the cold for days. _

_Itachi removed his thick, blue ANBU jumper and wrapped it around the young girl leaving him in his thin mesh shirt with the cold creeping through it and onto his bare chest. _

_He sat next to her on the tree top letting her head lay on his lap. _

"_No Father. Mother is away working and your all alone being beaten up by girls who are older than you for liking my younger brother, is that it?" He asked. He wasn't expecting an answer and continued talking to her. _

"_The younger brother of mine, who wants to be just like me, why is that something I doubt he even knows about? My Father, he knows I'm just a weapon, I wish I'd never have met him, Sasuke I mean. Anything that happens to me will hurt him and likewise the other way around. That was something my mother was fond of saying. Mother, I see her almost everyday, she welcomes me with a fake smile adorned on her pale face and asks me how my day is going" Itachi told the young girl who wasn't listening to the most intense conversation Itachi had ever had. "But what difference should they make, I shouldn't need family or friends or anyone else for that matter. _

_And you, you've got that and hate it more than life itself. _

_You're hated by possible friends for liking someone from my family" Itachi sighed and ran his thumb over her scarred cheek. "Life could seem completely impossible to people like us. You've got completely nothing but crave to be loved and I've got everything you haven't but hate it" _

_He smiled knowing that he'd probably never said so much to anyone and meant it._

"_I hate it" He repeated smoothing out her long pink hair. _

"_Then why live with it?" She mumbled moving her head to look up Itachi. _

_He stopped, not realising she was awake and was thoroughly intrigued by her question. _

_He'd never thought twice about not living with his family, not living with the cold stares that he got from people. _

_But he was always with his family, there was no other way that he'd lived but now that he thought about it why didn't he stop it._

_She smiled. _

"_Well if you want, we can go to my house and you can sleep over" She said smiling at him._

_He shook his head but she ignored him, she obviously didn't understand that he could have the law to deal with if anyone found out about that._

_His thoughts were interrupted._

"_Thank you for talking to me, I haven't got any other friends" She said suddenly realising he'd lost his shirt and blinked at the dark coloured shirt that lay around her. It wasn't hers and now seeing his bare body obviously implied that he was willing to care for her. She looked up at him blinking her green orbs._

"_Aren't you cold Itachi-kun?" _

_He smiled and put his hand on her head. "It doesn't matter about me" _

_Sakura looked confused at his smiling face and he laughed making her giggle also._

_And then weirdly enough he put his arms around the tiny little girl and held her to him smiling sweetly to the unseeing eyes of the hurtful world he lived in. _

_He held her there for longer than a while slowly decreasing his grip on her. She didn't seem to mind and let him hold her there and seeing as no one could look Itachi let a lone tear fall from his crimson eyes._

_After a while he let her sit next to him and his arms fell to his sides with a large sigh._

_Sakura didn't know what to do never feeling so loved before. She quickly let her tiny arms grab Itachi's waist and hug tightly, he gave a slight chuckle and Sakura looked up at him._

_He kissed the top of her head and she buried her head back down again slightly embarrassed._

_He wondered what he was doing, but then again this was the only time he had any compassion for someone else. And she didn't know him so it would be easily forgotten._

_They stared there for the whole night, Itachi cradling Sakura's petite body while she slept._

_Just before morning he took her back to Konaha, and that tiny girls words had hit him harder than anyone else ever could._

_Why live with it?_

_He wouldn't._

_And so it was planned. The Uchiha massacre. _

* * *

Phew

That was such a nice chapter to write.  
I liked the ending, not many chapters left.

Reviews please And ohhh I love this story It's going to be re-written atfer i make the sequel

and i love you guysss ! 3

Kawaaii

RYOUKOx


	17. Update!

**I'm back **, So how are you all ?

Sorry for the long break been tied up with coursework and school in general so do take into account that I have very little time on my hands for progress in Wait for me.  
It isn't long till the end so I'll try to get the chapters out pretty frequently and then I'ts a possibility that I will re-write Wait for me and then sequel it or the other way around.

We'll see. :

RYOUKOx


	18. Tranquil, close to your heart and mine

**The simple things keep me conscious**

**And the fact that we see**

**The same sunrise**

**Makes me feel so much closer.**

**Close to you.**

**That's what I'll never be.**

**I can only hope.**

**Hope for you and me.**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

**Tranquil moments close to your heart and mine**

**Sakura**

Faint breathing sounds came drifted through her haunted dreams, as it progressed she noticed it was coarse breathing. Sounding like someone whose lungs had collapsed.

_Ignore it. Just Ignore it._

Her eyes wished to flicker open and see what was happening but the warmth around her made the stillness of her surroundings bliss for a moment before a crack that sounded like it snapped up from a lingering flame.

_A fire place?_

Stupidly she knew she was in a room even though her last memories were off greenery.

She took a breath in and could taste the flames and even the scent of the coal in her throat making her eyes flicker open.

She found herself in complete darkness and briefly she wondered if she'd even opened her eyes at all.

She blinked and yet saw nothing so she quickly rubbed her eyes and some dim light was finally given off by a large fire place to her left. The room was large and it confused her.

Alongside the fire place sat two dining chairs and a tall table with a plate that had water in it and petals floating on top in between them.

To her right she saw two neatly placed cushions, a small table and two tiny cups with steam rising and swirling above them.

_Where am I ?_

She stopped asking herself questions when she knew that answers weren't available and noticed that the coarse breathing had calmed slightly making a full, warm breathing sound that seemed to be coming from behind a small room separator, the type princesses would get for changing.

Behind the separator there was faint outline off a door that was cracked open and a light shone through it and on the wall beside the door was a large window which is were the breathing was coming from.

She was definite about it.

She moved slightly but stopped as a sigh seemed to whip around the entire room.

She sat silent and still watching as a figure was visible sitting on the seal of the window behind the separator.

She only realised the window was most obviously open when the draft crept under a large black cloak that was draped over her. _"Itachi"_ the whisper of his name escaped her lips and as if he heard he stopped in his tracks.

She did as before and sat deadly still in the large chair she'd been placed in.

He either realised she was awake or ignored all happenings around him seeing as he raised a small cup to his lips and took a sip from it.

Sadly she couldn't she the swirling steam while the separator was in front of her, hiding the figure which she assumed was Itachi away from her.

She actually liked the silence; it was now natural for her to say nothing for hours on end.

In the silence Itachi had given her at first they seemed an eternity of waiting for some amusement but she now felt them as natural as she did breathing.

Some times there was no need to express your thoughts to anyone other than yourself.

She'd even taken into account Itachi as a person. When he slept, _which was very rarely_, she always seemed to wake up that little bit earlier and go to sleep just a bit after him without being able to help him just for some silence to look at him.

He looks so peaceful when he doesn't realise a pair of beady eyes are watching him.

He made everything seem so, _safe_.

She knew it sounded insane to be feeling safe around a mass murderer who killed his own clan but in this weird way she felt like she trusted him.

There was never a time when she doubted his abilities and he always seemed to know everything about anything.

And even if he didn't he wouldn't let on about it.

She wanted to laugh to herself, he was so strong about everything. She could she his figure holding the cup of liquid his grip on it was tight ,she knew but yet it looked so delicate.

As if it were about to drop at any moment.

He wouldn't let it even if he wanted to and she loved the silence so much she'd hate if he snapped it in half with a smash on the tiled floor.

She just wanted to watch him forever.

He let his upper body lean forward and his dark hair slid over his shoulders to curtain his face.

She loved it as the wind blew his hair and he shook his head to get it out of his face.

She found no trouble in admitting that when comparing the two brothers the elder was much more handsome.

Itachi's face showed it's maturity and his blood red eyes showed the wisdom he possessed. Remembering Sasuke's face wasn't difficult and when she thought about it, Sasuke was handsome but he looked strikingly young and the pout that he continuously wore now made her think that he seemed innocent looking.

He was attractive, through genes.

Not because he'd made himself up to anything.

She even wondered if Sasuke wanted to look like Itachi, maybe Sasuke saw the maturity and wisdom of his brother and craved to be like him so much as to look like him.

She stopped her thoughts. It wasn't like she wanted to say she preferred Itachi to Sasuke, she just knew that in a satisfying way when she was around Itachi she felt morally more accepted without anything being verbally confirmed.

But that would change.

When she finds Sasuke he'll love her for it. He'll accept her then and she'll be all he ever needs.

Forever.

"_Forever" _she managed a whisper and felt her body rush with fear as she saw Itachi's figure jump in it's tracks staring at the room separator.

He inhaled deeply and held the breath for a second or two and her body eased.

"No matter what you tell yourself he won't accept you" His deep voice filled the room. He paused.

"He will never accept anyone; he's scared"

She wanted to slice his words into tiny little pieces and never hear them again. She denied herself to think them over. .

_No. Itachi was lying_

"No" her voice couldn't stretch very loud and she wondered if Itachi had heard her.

But he let his head shake as he stood up and looked out of the open window that lay glistening with stars.

He was ignoring her and she left her fall forward and her hair dangled over her face.

"No" she repeated. Barely a whisper left her lips and it wouldn't convince anyone let alone Itachi.

_Everyone needs someone, to laugh with and to smile with. Someone to be there for them. He'll need me, He'll need me. Everyone needs someone_

Her head repeated words she wished would be true.

But once Itachi had put something in her head it seemed to burn itself there and let all other thoughts vanish in disbelief.

"Everyone needs someone" she almost shouted suddenly finding her voice from no-where. She wanted to block out Itachi's thoughts from her head and she shouted her own for reassurance.

He threw his arm at the separator and it flew across the room hitting the wall. He stood without a shirt on but strong and let his breathing inhale and exhale heavily, coarsely.

"I'm not here to preach what I already know to you" He said through gritted teeth while he tried to re-gain his composure.

He turned to face the window and his arm steadied his body leaning against a wall.

"You make your own decisions" He continued softer but believable. Beads of sweat rolled on his skin and she could see his breathing patterns were being damaged.

She didn't want to believe him. But the chance acceptance from Sasuke generally was low.

And Itachi had this way of speaking that seemed like everything was fact.

He'd never spoken so strongly about Sasuke, he was his brother and being the only two Uchiha's left who knew more about him.

She knew that Itachi would know Sasuke's traits even without seeing him. Itachi must have known how predictable Sasuke was.

His breathing was getting worse and he even coughed for a moment. She wanted to help him but was worried, maybe he would bat her away as he did with the separator. She certainly didn't want to end up as a heap on the floor.

"It's okay, I'm okay" Itachi said. In that way that made her wonder if he knew how much he swamped her mind. Sasuke was just like him. He had been on her mind every moment of everyday she spent with him he was like a drug that her mind couldn't give up even if it tried. She laughed on the inside of the thought of an Uchiha-path to ease her off of them. Then she wondered if all Uchiha males were like this.

Since meeting Itachi she constantly was scared of losing her life. But she craved attention from him seeing as it felt like he saw importance in her.

And once she'd taken it to the extent of even having feelings for Itachi. But no, 'feelings' were serious.

She couldn't have 'feelings' for Sasuke's brother. Why would she?

There was a possibility that he could kill her at any moment and she had feelings for Sasuke not Itachi.

The only 'feeling' that she should have towards Itachi is hate, despising hatred.

If she remembered when she first found out the Itachi and Sasuke were brothers she could easily recall that feeling of hatred she had towards Itachi. It didn't matter if she'd met him or not if he had upset Sasuke to the extent were he was cold hearted and rude about everything then he deserved to be hated.

But funnily enough, now she felt like she understood Itachi better. She almost found him normal sometimes.

She could spend time thinking over Itachi's actions and he was, in fact only human. Driven to the point of destruction but he still had the everyday habits that a normal person does.

He did seem normal when thought about it.

But she wouldn't think about it, she couldn't.

Because as cruel and wrong she found it, Itachi was labelled. He was a deadly killer.

It was a bad label and it couldn't be worded in any other way.

But he wasn't obvious.

Actually around her he'd been quite pleasant.

But why kill your whole clan so suddenly if you seem to be so normal.

He had moved.

A few paces left and his shadow was blurry now.

If the separator hadn't have been there see would've seen his back turned towards her.

But it was and all she could see was an Itachi figure standing very still in the dim light.

His body leaned forward and a laugh escaped his lips.

A laugh that sounded hurt and strained from his voice box.

Her left eyebrow arched itself without her realising and Itachi's dark figure whipped around as if he'd seen her do it.

She took a quick breath and her heart pounded inside her rib cage.

Her tongue was being bitten down on by her own teeth and she cursed herself for letting him scare her, even if only that little bit.

Her breathing was so quiet that he couldn't hear it but the pounding in her ears made it sound like every sound her body made was obviously in his hearing range.

His head lowered and the cup in his hand was then slowly placed on the windowsill by the side of him.

"You're scared-" he mumbled as if he didn't believe his own words. He said it like a statement but she could tell that there was a hinting question to follow.

Her face fell knowing that he could tell she was scared.

"You're scared of me" he said in no more than a whisper.

The longer he didn't look at her the more he was scaring her.

Itachi Uchiha took everything in his stride, if someone seemed scared of him it only spurred him on to torture them more.

Her mouth un-knowingly opened to speak but she didn't know what words were going to come out.

She could see a shadow of a smile fall across his pale face.

"That's what they all say"

He was making a joke and she knew it. He probably didn't give anyone the chance to answer and just killed them right there and then but she had a chance to speak and he didn't seem in any state to use the mangekyou on her.

She got consumed in her own thoughts wondering why Itachi seemed so confused why she was scared of him.

"Why?" He said anxiously.

"I'm not!"

She gathered her words easier than she thought and blurted them out without thinking.

It was a simple answer and no doubt did Itachi whip his head around and let his eyes widen with a curious and intriguing look bewildering them.

Even a smile cracked onto his lips.

"That's a fine way of lying" He said with the smirk still plastered to his usually poker straight face.

They both knew she was scared of him but he loved that she said she wasn't even if it was a lie.

For someone to answer him back even intrigued him.

And she'd been the first.

But she kept her dazzling green eyes keep focus of the flickering flames that danced in front of her.

"_Ignore him" _She abided by. But he was walking slowly closer to her before stopping still in his tracks.

"Does Sasu-" He tried to ask.

She flinched and he could tell.

"Does… does he scare you?" She wanted to let tears fall from her eyes. Itachi always took the opportune moment for everything, even to plunge a sharp kunai through her feelings for Sasuke and he'd done it perfectly.

She bit her lip to stop from crying.

Why would Itachi want to know?

She asked such stupid questions of herself sometimes and she knew why he wanted to know.

And yes, he did. Sasuke scared her deep inside.

It was un-canny how much Sasuke and Itachi were similar.

They both knew when it was the right time to hurt someone feelings.

Sasuke scared her a lot.

She realised that's probably why she liked him so much, Sasuke was a challenge.

Stopping herself from thinking about him was surprisingly easy, Itachi was flooding her mind and she knew how she wanted to answer him.

Because inside of her she knew that she had a soft spot for Sasuke but upon Itachi asking her the question she knew that nothing had scared her more than being in Sasuke's presence in their last fatal day's together.

Uchiha's were deadly, for the heart and the mind.

But unfortunately Sakura had become addicted to them.

"Yes" She said. Itachi blinked at her thinking she would say that he didn't.

"More than you do" She heard Itachi hold his breath in with disbelief.

She understood it would be a shock for Itachi to find out that his younger brother who he seemed to completely detest scared Sakura more than he did and inside she grinned knowing she'd shocked him.

For a while Sakura and Itachi stayed in silence pondering over thoughts they didn't know would be said.

She figured Itachi was thinking about how much he hated his brother when in fact she was completely wrong.

Itachi's mind didn't wander through his past but instead couldn't switch itself off from a certain girl sitting in silence merely metres away from him.

He snapped out of focus and looked out of the window.

Her fear of him was lost and she stood up from the chair and slowly walked closer to Itachi not making a sound. She was inches away from him and placed a hand carefully upon his shoulder.

He took a quick breath in obviously not realising she was there.

His body relaxed and she pressed her body against his back and let her warm breath brush over his bare neck and shoulder.

He turned to face her and pulled her head into his chest while her arms slinked around his waist.

His arms locked around her top half and she held him tighter.

They stood still holding each other for what seemed like forever and for one moment Sakura could've sworn that Itachi was crying.

Suddenly the wind from the window ran cold and her arms loosened around Itachi's waist.

Everything had come flooding back to her so quickly and a million questions circled through her head until she knew which she needed to ask.

She stopped herself from asking it by biting her lip and she knew if she asked he could kill her in mere moments.

But she couldn't help it she had to ask and she would ask.

Everything in her life seemed to be down to one moment after she'd ask and then she asked and everything was so quiet.

"Why did you kill your clan?"


	19. The last hours unexpected entries

Chapter 17 "The last hours"

A question he had been asked and one that had haunted him for years on end. But the voice asking wasn't the voice he'd always expected to here, not the voice of his younger brother who'd strived through everything to find him and finally avenge his clan. No, this voice was completely and utterly wrong. So at that moment a whisper escaped his pursed lips.

"It's not right"

A desirable voice spoke, it was hers, too pure, too soft, too sweet and it had the most curios wondering sense about it.  
But why would she ask? Of all people in the world Itachi dreamt of her those words from she would've have been one of the last ever people. She seemed so knowing and so understanding.  
Like she needn't need an answer.  
Like she... knew.

In his heart he knew deep down that this girl, Sakura haruno was the only person who had stopped his mind from wandering, stopped his heart from beating and held it, a petite, icy cold hand over his most bruised artery and yet she had complete power over him, a driven and even slightly insane man.

But he wondered why. Why he seemed to care so much about her. He knew what he needed. He was old enough to make decision for himself.  
He needed her gone. He needed to be free he wanted to unravel the seams she'd so suddenly sewn into him.  
Just to send her trotting back home so he could carry on living the way he'd always found acceptable; alone.

Just leave him be in his frozen and heartless state.  
Frozen and heartless; words he'd come to be associated with over the many years of his life. Yet he didn't ever seem to mind but when he thought of her saying them he wanted to close of his hearing and calm himself down.  
She would never be so cruel...  
But...why did he even care?

She'd brought change into his life, changes that he needn't need or care about.  
She'd made them with him without any formal type of agreement between of the both of them; they'd just been made regardless.  
But if there was anything he'd be able to agree on was that this kunoichi had brought him imperfections.  
Imperfections he wanted to be rid of completely.

Because well, if she hadn't of asked he'd be prepared.  
Things were supposed to happen in sequence. It was supposed to be Sasuke.  
There was no doubt about it. He was always expecting Sasuke to ask and he'd know when it would happen. He knew what he'd say and when but he was now unprepared.

She needed an answer though, something that would be suitable and understandable.  
But what kind of answer could ever possibly supply her with information that she'd find acceptable in any way?

The thought of her face once she knew; a nightmare flashing through her eyes.

A nightmare; something haunting every dream that ran through his mind and soon would haunt her dreams also. He had to say it though, however much it may hurt her she would know sooner or later.

He knew she'd be present when he told Sasuke and so there was no reason that she might as well know before, yet it hurt him to see her face screwed up in confusion of why he couldn't tell her straight what had happened.

She coughed and this threw Itachi's focus out. His brain almost span inside of it's skull, he had no focus and his eyes blurred. He couldn't think and he could feel himself slightly shaking. His hands suddenly gripped the side of the window and he steadied himself.

Her glaring eyes burnt into his back, he wanted to turn and lash out at her stopping her staring in an instant.

And yet she stood and walked towards him. He turned to face and see her, plan faced just stood there.

His breath was heavy and slowly her hand reached out in his direction; timidly and it shook once her arm straightened.

She opened her mouth to speak and her voice scratched out. His eyes flickered as her other hand reached for her chest.

"P-please" She said in no more than a whisper.

He stared at her still, through blurred eyes and a shaking body.

She reached her hand out more and took a regretful step forward, Itachi grabbed hold of her petite hand and tightly gripped it with his own icy cold, metallic grasp.

She took a sharp breath and he squeezed tighter make her fall to her knees.

His grasp tightened more and her eyes screwed up as she bit down on her tongue to stop from letting squeals escape her.

"Let me understand" She whispered as her head hung forward. "Please let me understand…please" She repeated.

And then suddenly he let her go.

She fell to the floor and softly held her hand; petting it like you would a small animal. Silence surrounded them.

Itachi's eyes slowly closed as he caste his mind back further than he thought he could remember.  
_He stood outside of the family estate, the sun beaming down on him creating a shadow that attached itself to his feet and followed him whatever he did. The wind blew itself around him and forced his hair to fall in to his face. His scuffed hand brushed it away from his eyes though it was unsuccessful and his hair flew back into his face almost instantly. _

_He heard someone struggling with a sliding door and glanced back, his mother's figure behind the door. _

_He opened the door and she stood with a tiny cup in her hands which she sipped from as hot steamy swirls filled the air above before disappearing.  
Itachi smiled at her and stepped backwards letting her through before closing the door behind her._

_She looked out over the beautiful garden arrangements as Itachi had just been and seemed lost in the tranquillity that it was covered in.  
Itachi was distracted quickly though by the loud patter of his younger brother's feet that came scrabbling past him and ungracefully stopped next to their mother  
He waved a piece of paper filled with colour at about the height o her waist and she warmly glanced down and smiled at him complimenting him on his "Beautiful drawing" ._

Then Sasuke smiled at his brother and pointed proudly at his picture. Itachi nod his head at him and Sasuke jumped around frantically before running back inside.

His mother smiled at Itachi and took another sip from her cup. 

A sudden shock fell over Itachi. This was his only real memory that he'd had, it was clear and he could see it living out as if it were being played out in front of him.  
He cherished it.  
He looked at Sakura and smiled like he had done that day.

She looked puzzled; her face screwed up slightly and her head tilted to one side like a puppy would. "You will never really understand" He said heartlessly even though he wanted to stay smiling.

She then nod her head which came to his surprise slightly.  
"I know" she said and their eye's focused on each other for a mere few moments.  
He took a deep breath.

"There was a day. I picked him up from the academy and there was commotion between girls. Earlier that day Father had been out and Mother had only taken him to the academy for an hour before going out.That was the best day I've ever had that I can remember" Itachi walked over to the window again and stared out at the burning stars that lit up the dark night sky.

"I walked him home, my brother I mean. So I left him at the gate with my relatives, they pretty much celebrated his arrival and so I thought I'd go for a walk. Just for a little while to clear my mind and just enjoy the peace that was in town that day.

I ended up back at the academy, I was drawn there I suppose.  
Yet if I was given a second chance I would've ignored myself and stayed where i was… safer I guess"  
She looked confused and he could tell she was wondering why this story had anything to do with the massacre but really she was just being patient.

She understood that this may very well be the only time Itachi would ever express his feelings other than in the form of an angry rage.

"There was nothing there but a street light so everything that was semi-close to it was turned a shade of luminous orange. Over by the alley there was a whimpering, a girl was in the alleyway. She was bruised and snivelling stupidly" He choked slightly talking through his memories. He felt bad for being so rude at that point, she didn't know anything about this girl but he knew that it would upset her of what he thought about the girl even though she would find it at present completely insignificant.

Also talking about everything that was so usually kept quiet was something that he found socially unacceptable but he carried on with Sakura sniffing awkwardly from the sudden cold that had eerily filled the room and her head still tilted to its side in confusion.

"She had no trouble speaking to me and said that her house was empty and no-one knew where she was. I thought at least someone would be worried about her but was unsure of the estate she'd said was hers. The only vague direction she gave was a hand movement towards some tree or type of shrubbery. So I took her to a tree near by and hoped she knew where she'd be going. We sat there; she was young; probably about Sasuke's age give or take a few months. Yet her intellectual level seemed higher than Sasuke's. I told her about my family and how I felt about them and she, well she knew what to say but said something that I didn't expect but was still understandable. She told me_ 'Why live with it?'_ and those words set of a siren through me that I didn't realise until after. I wouldn't live with a family I couldn't stand. The hours to follow were the worst ones of my life that had followed the best of my life"

It was silent and he wasn't sure of whether to apologise.  
For what he wasn't sure and so he just closed his eyes.

Sakura sat still while Itachi took deep breaths and hunched over dropping his head at the window.

For a while the silence was bliss. They didn't need to say much at all and the every so often crack of the fire was easing their nerves.  
but then the wind suddenly whipped up and the bellow through the fireplace shot through Sakura like an unassuming bolt of lightening, her eyes widened instantly and she looked up at Itachi.

"Who was she?"

She could tell he was gritting his teeth and not wanting to say.

But Itachi's eyes screwed themselves up and he ran a hand through his stray hair. He knew that this would be hard to hear but it killed him to tell. Itachi sank to his knees in front of the window and put his head in his hands, the wind gently moved the mesh shirt that he wore. He'd never felt like he was under so much inevitable pressure.

"Itachi?" He shook it off and stood up still facing the window, he felt it was unbearable.

"In my whole life I've never remembered someone so clearly as her" He smiled, it felt like a crack in his armour and even though she couldn't see it, he was glad that he'd done it, if only for himself.

"She was a girl of minimal height and wore clothes that matched her attributes perfectly; whether this was on purpose or not I'm not sure. But she had this look; complete innocence ran through her blood stream and filled the air space around her like a halo. She seemed so perfect yet what pains me most is every single day I've lived since meeting her I have never forgotten her green eyes and her hair; a pink colour." He dropped his head again and her eyes suddenly seemed to glaze over in disbelief.

"A Sakura pink"

For a little while she didn't want believe the knowledge that she had and was so sure she could convince herself that she'd seen other people in Konaha with green eyes and pink hair.

Eerie, the tension could have been cut with a knife, No it could have been cut with a slight flick of a wrist. She stood.

He heard her movement and resisted the urge to turn around and look at her.  
He weirdly wanted to check if she was okay.

But there was a thump on the floor.

He span around and found her sat on her knees with her head in her hands and her hair gripped tightly in between her fingers.

The sound of her sobbing pushed his mind back to that day and he wondered why he never realised before how similar it was to when she was that much younger, more.. Naïve.

Yet he was confused. What to do? Where to look? What to say ?

It would be difficult and there was no possible conversation that could aid these moments between them.

There was no more explanation.

Just the strange sudden silence.

For a little while he just stood and watched her tear herself apart from the inside. Her hands gripped tightly in her locks of beautiful locks of pink hair and her voice box making snivelling sounds while her eyes leaked pain filled tears.

He watched from a distance for he knew very well how much a person could tear themselves into pieces before they were beyond mental repair.

But then something unexpected happened. Her breath calmed and her eyes stayed fixed onto the ground.

"D…Do you blame me?"

Itachi's mind fell vacant and he didn't know what to say.

He guessed, well in a way he did blame her.

He'd never realised.

Before he'd always blamed himself or his Father for what happened because there was no point in blaming the girl who gave him the idea.

It was never her fault because she never meant to tell him what she thought it was just what young children did. Speaking her mind was her way of being herself.

He looked at her there, her eyes now letting themselves wander into the flickering flames in the fireplace. She was hurt and there was nothing he'd be able to do.

He looked away, seeing her put herself through a psychological hell was much more painful to watch when he wasn't the one putting her through it.

"Itachi" She whispered and he turned to look at her.

Frail and breakable as her arms fell to her sides and she let her head fall forward her bangs fell into her face.

But he said nothing and she clenched her fist mumbling his name under her breath.

"Itachi?... Itachi-kun do you blame me? Itachi Itachi-kun"

He walked towards her and put one of his hands on her shoulder. "No"

Suddenly she looked up at him. "No Sakura. I don't"

She stood and Itachi watched as she smiled gently through her tears. A weird thing he felt, how she could hear that she wasn't blamed for something that she'd never felt responsible for in the first place.  
It was half hearted but perfect, he watched her smiling and even let himself smirk slightly.

But she looked down and raised her hand to wipe away her tears but he stopped her. His hand grazed her cheek very slowly and her eyes travelled up him into she might his wonderful ruby red eyes.  
She stared into them entranced by the different colours as he slowly pushed away the drops with his thumb.  
His arms reached out and gently wrapped around her waist and brought her body close into his.  
She buried her head into his chest and let her tears fall as her held hr tighter and at that moment he knew, things would now be so different, so very different.

"I'm sorry" She said.  
He didn't really know why she'd apologised but he didn't let her go but just gently nod and kissed the top of her head.

The time passed and the two of them were now sat by the fire, but not for long. The pressure and feel of guilt had exhausted her and she soon fell soon into a deep sleep while Itachi just watched her looking peaceful.  
He knew that millions of things would be running through her head while she stayed awake and in his presence and he was thankful that she was asleep.

If there was anything that Itachi didn't understand it was the ability to sleep.

In sleep no-one could tell your problems.

No-one could tell who you were or what was wrong with you, if anything.

To just lay looking peaceful and seeming to not have a care in the world.

It was amazing. While eyes are closed the world is shut it off and everything that makes you cry and clench your fists is simply put into a little box and left locked up until you wake up and realise that you have to face those things.

"The world is a terrible place" He whispered staring at her.

"Uchiha"

A voice cast over from a terrace next to the window.

Strangely enough the room didn't have a terrace, it had just appeared.

"Uchiha" The coarse voice said again. Itachi wasn't startled he knew who it would be.

"What is it?" Itachi said still facing the sleeping Sakura.

"She's a menace Itachi, you know it as much as I do"

Itachi inwardly shook his head in disbelief and sighed. "I would've thought so to"

"You don't think so now?"

Silence entered for a few moments, Itachi felt nothing needed to be said.

"The treatment is finished then?" Itachi asked, making conversation to distract him from the subject at hand.

"That's not why I'm here Itachi. Answer the question. She isn't a menace now?"

Itachi stood and turned towards the empty looking terrace.

"No she isn't"

The figure took a step forward and the moonlight cast a shadow onto the floor inside of the room.

"She's weakening you" He said and cough coarsely.

"She certainly weakened you didn't she?" Itachi said in response.

"I wish you wouldn't play games Uchiha. You know she's no use, we need you now"

Itachi turned back towards Sakura and watched her innocence.

"Can't you figure out this without me?" He asked not taking his eyes off of her.

"You say that like we'd fall apart without you"

Itachi cast himself quickly over to the figure and clasped his hand around its neck.

"Don't fuck me with Kisame. I'm in no mood for your half-assed jokes"

"Calm down Itachi-san there's no need to be violent" His hand released from Kisame's scaly fish like neck.

"There's always a need to be violent around you. If you weren't such an arrogant bastard I'd understand. Sometime's I wish I'd never taken you and let them bring you back. Surely next time they'd remove you're arrogant attributes if I asked"

Kisame laughed.

"I'd never be as effective if I wasn't such an arrogant bastard"

"Mm" Itachi didn't know how to answer, nor did he know why Kisame was suddenly here, wanting his assistance.

"We need to leave" He said. Itachi let his head shake side to side.

"I can't leave her"

The shadow showed Kisame's face fall into a state of confusion.

"She is nothing of an importance to you Itachi, or us"

Itachi clenched his fist stopping himself from telling Kisame anything and nod his head. He turned towards her. "I cannot leave her here, I need to leave her somewhere that she can figure her way back home from. So she won't come looking for me"

Kisame gave a slight nod although he didn't really care about the pink haired kunoichi.

"Itachi-san. I will be back here in a day. Wherever you leave her make sure you meet me here afterwards" Kisame gave a weird salute towards Itachi and he ignored it completely.

Kisame left suddenly and Itachi stood still and watched as the terrace created suddenly disappeared and all that was left was the slight breeze through the open window.

It would be morning soon and the last day he would spend with Haruno Sakura.

For now though he would not worry.

He sat next to her by the fire place but left the window open letting the cold wind keep him sane while the warm air tried to fill his soul.

The fire started to burn out and the night was letting up.

Itachi placed one hand on his head and the other brushed Sakura's pale face.

"You're going to suffer but.." He struggled for words. "But I cannot help that. This is my life"

Itachi ran his hand through his long onyx hair and sighed. His head ached.

The sun pierced through his eyes and a warm breeze was now entering the room as the new day beckoned.

These were the last hours.

He waited for her to wake.

* * *

Okay okay I realise that took AGEEES for me to write but I get distracted easily.

I don't like this chapter very much i'm just hoping that it isn't too bad :/  
Ly all  
:) I'm starting the new chapter a.s.ap

So keep checking ; 333

RYOUKOx


	20. UPDATE

**F.Y.I**

* * *

I know I haven't checked up on you all in a little while. As I said in previous updates i do get very busy and as much as I strive to update as quickly as I possibly can I can easily get delayed.

Just so you know.

I doubt there will be anymore than two chapters to come.  
After I finish these I may re-write this and give you a taster of the sequel which is yet to be plotted.  
I thank you sincerly if you're keeping up, obviously if you've any queries get in contact with me by messages or reviwes and i'll get back to you if I can.

You need to understand that everytime I write a new chapoter I go through a proccess firstly of writing a plot of events to happen in the chapter then I type up a rough copy of things I like then section of the paragraphs and re-write them into a standard that i'm pleased with then I read them and get a friend to read them then If I don't like what I've written then I'll tweak it so that it suits me.

If you don't like it read some other fic ;

Anyway

I'm going to write the next chapter.

I hoping it'll be a 6000+ word one ; 33

RYOUKOx


	21. I never needed such hindrances

**Chapter 18**

Itachi.

He sat still, the 4am sky peacefully lighting the room and casting dark shadows behind the furniture scattered around. He leaned his hands open the sill of the window and sighed heavily, things would be quiet all day.  
He knew how to prepare himself for the worst and he found the easiest way was to keep calm and quiet about things even if he wanted to blurt and shout.  
Funnily enough if Itachi had the chance he'd totally believe in the saying "violence solves nothing", but unfortunately he lived in a world where that wasn't very acceptable.  
_What a shame_ he thought.

The wind blew in and gently moved strands of hair that were limply in front of Itachi's face. He turned his head slightly in her direction and watched as it blew her hair slightly too. Her pale hand lifted itself gracefully and she brushed it away from her face still soundly sleeping.  
She even smiled in her sleep; he thought this strange of her.  
Such terrible things had just happened yet she could still manage a smile, even if in slumber.

Yet he watched her in awe, she made shutting off from the world seem so easy. She definitely took advantage of it.  
But that wasn't what he should be focusing on, Kisame had told him he had to leave her and that he'd need to do it quickly.

She was a disease, he harshly thought.  
He'd just have to drop her off somewhere without her knowing and tell her that he'd be back soon.  
And then just, leave.

He'd just leave, it was easy.  
Just to leave and never come back, piece of cake... Right?

He heard a muffled cough and whipped around quickly worried she'd woken.  
She was curled into a little ball, hugging her knees with her head bent downwards.  
"I'm so sorry Sakura"

He turned back and watched the sun as it rose. It calmed his nerves watching something that he couldn't control.  
He took deep breaths and at every slight movement she made he looked back to check on her, wondering if she was okay.  
Though he resisted looking a few times, he felt attached to her when he looked at her every time she made a sound.  
And so he paced for a while taking his mind off of her, this was going to be a long day.

Itachi waited until the sun was high in the blue abyss and then he couldn't take it any longer. He left his trade-marked coat and walked out from the small hotel they'd been staying and onto the dusty road. Before him was vast, tall greenery but to both sides of him only stood the long dusty road stretching further than even his eyes could see.  
He headed for the greenery disappearing for view of anyone looking by.

The deep sea of greens calmed his nerves and the earthy smell made him feel at ease.  
The tree leaves gently moved, as did the blades of grass and in the very distance he could hear the sound of water, maybe from a grove. Following the sound he almost completely forgot he'd be leaving Sakura today.  
This was a nice place. He thought maybe they could spend there last day here.  
Maybe…if she wanted to of course. He wouldn't force her, he knew he'd be doing plenty of forcing without her even knowing yet.

Upon finding the watery grove Itachi sat on one of the rocks and began breathing steadily trying to clear his head. It was hard to concentrate on clearing his head when it was clouded with a certain kunoichi.

Sakura.

She coughed suddenly and her running dreams suddenly stopped. The smell of smoke was sickingly entering her air waves and her eyes flew open revealing the once roaring fire place to have died down and now just traces of smoke flew into the air.  
She coughed again and ruffled her hair through her fingers. Her head pained and she rubbed her forehead to relieve it, she closed her eyes and began to recall the night before.

That hurt more than any headache. She began to slowly shake and became worried of what was happening. Frantically she glanced around the room looking for him. She scrambled up and began quickly darting around the room looking for Itachi in all the places she could think of but there was… nothing?

She stood and stared at the floor raising her hands to her head again. In this sort of situation what would he do? He would analyze it but she didn't know where he'd go or what he'd do.  
She thought for a long while still glancing round the room every few moments to check if she'd missed him and he was just sitting and staring at her.  
She had no idea of what the time was but she saw a door to the left of her and she walked over to it.  
She hadn't washed properly in a few days and would die if it was a fully functional bathroom.

Wherever Itachi had gone to she doubted very much he'd be coming back in the next say half an hour. She walked in and as she longed for was a small bathroom.  
For a moment she just leaned back and let the ice cold tiles touch her skin and make her shiver.  
Her eyes were closed and she breathed deeply finally feeling in control of what she was doing.  
She turned on the metallic shower and undressed slowly.  
It was one of those showers that was cornered and had a right angle of bricks to make sure the water didn't go anywhere. 

She pulled back the curtain, not that there was much point in it being that it was see-through.  
The shower head was positioned directly above her like rain fall would've been and as she stepped into the warm running water she imagined herself stood in the warm rain of a summer's day.  
Her eyes were heavy and hurt when both closed and open but she left them shut and lay again against the tile letting the water drench her.  
Her hair loosened from its usually straight stature and dangled over her shoulders reaching her high waist.

She pressed her fingers down onto the tiles behind her needing some kind of stability.  
She then pulled back the shower curtain and saw a cabinet with glass doors; steamed up as was the large mirror in front of her.  
She watched as the steam swirled around and mixed with the cold air around the bathroom.  
It was soothing.

She ran her hands through her hair, untangling it slightly.  
She took a step forward and leaned her head backwards so that it just rested on the tiles behind her. The warm water hit her chest directly and ran down her body.

She opened her eyes and rubbed her face, attempting to try and wake herself slightly.  
She stepped out of the flowing water but left it on, the noise was calming her.  
She walked towards the large mirror and stood before it; she raised a finger and began to write a message on there.  
She took her time and dragged her slender finger gracefully on the reflective glass.  
Then when she was finished she stepped back read it aloud.  
"If I'm lost, I will find myself in another"

Maybe it wasn't the best saying that she could have running through her mind but she though of it as after spending such a long time with Itachi she'd notice distinctive changes in his behaviour and personality, those would be because of her.  
Her ways had taught him to change and surely that would've rubbed of from her, this was how she would find herself in another. 

But she still had no idea where Itachi was, that was the main problem.

She turned the silver handle and the water stopped falling, she turned to look for something to cover herself with but didn't find anything useful so she picked up her clothes and took them back into the other room.  
She led her clothes by the fireplace where she'd been sleeping and stood near the window.  
She was careful though she didn't exactly want to be standing stark naked in a window so that people could get a full view of her.  
But when she glanced outside she realised that outside of the hotel was pretty much completely empty and greenery seemed to stretch out for miles around it.  
It was really in the middle of no-where.

She stood there in the window and the air blew over her body drying her slightly.  
She smiled as the breeze warmed and cooled every now and again.  
Opening her eyes and gazed over the vast colours that surrounded her before turning and dressing slowly.

Her hair was drying quickly and she ran her fingers through it in an attempt to tame it before taking a few deep breaths ready to go search for Itachi.  
But searching Itachi would definitely prove difficult. He'd disappeared of off the face of the earth pretty much before; there was nothing stopping him from doing it again. 

She sighed and looked around the room, recalling the events of last night she frowned.  
What could she have done? What would...he have done in this situation?  
She definitely had the feeling that she wasn't supposed to be the first to find out.  
But she was glad she'd been told, travelling with him and not knowing the huge weight he carried around for her on his shoulders must've proved terrible for him.  
She was just completely oblivious to it, she wouldn't have thought twice even if given the chance.

But then something strange struck her. If she'd indirectly caused something so cruel to happen and Itachi had kept it a secret all this time, then his brother had been setting the blame on the wrong person.  
Every angry moment and every time he'd talked about avenging his clan, it was all …because of her.  
But, in weird way she realised; she didn't really care.  
What could she do about it now? As a child she wouldn't have meant it seriously so why could she take the blame for it.  
Itachi's mind wasn't detached from this world; he was merely taking something that he'd once heard and putting it in to practise.

She opened the door and head downstairs.

Itachi.

There were cuts in the leaves and the sun shone through them leaving little weird shapes of light on to the floor all around him. It was like the equivalent to watching clouds as they passed through the skies, he tried to guess shapes on the floor. He stood up now bored of his game and began walking deeper into the forestry.  
The wind became scarcer and he could smell moisture running throughout the mossy trees.  
It wasn't humid but more of a cold heat, the type where if a gust of wind blew your face after you'd just splashed it with water would be.

He inhaled deeply and could smell the moisture around him and suddenly a presence near him.

He bowed his head down in an attempt to ignore anyone who'd be following him. It could've only been someone from the hotel nearby anyway so he wasn't really full with worry.  
He increased his pace and began to run slightly to try and loose whoever would be following him, he kept his head down and began to run through the forestry his hair whipping past and revealing his face.

Suddenly he clutched to his chest and leaned over gasping for breath, it was unusual for him to be tired and he hit his chest in an attempt to clear it and free his air waves.  
It didn't work.  
He began frantically hitting at his chest and wheezing his lungs filling with sharp pains. He screwed up his eyes and bellowed coughing harshly.   
He fell to the floor scratching at his throat and trying desperately to breath.  
And then he heard footsteps. Pressure into the grass and dirt make it crunch and directed his attention to the pair of feet that stood not far away from him.  
He still clutched his throat and gasped for air but then heard the figure not so far away from him chuckle to themselves.

His face filled with rage; he was wheezing and gasping on the floor and this person was stood there watching and finding his pain amusing.  
But then he realised, one person would laugh at his pain and he looked up to see the person he'd expected.

His sibling, his younger brother Sasuke. He grit his teeth and stood up not daring to look at his brother.

"What's wrong Itachi? Can you not bear to look at me?" A familiar voice ran through his head. Itachi turned to look at him but when he turned Sasuke was no where to be seen.

"Well actually I'd quite like to look upon the face of a failure if you don't mind" Itachi said smugly shaking his head downward and grinning slightly.  
He knew Sasuke's rage was easily tempered and he didn't dare look up to see his reaction knowing that he'd great a straight face with piercing dark eyes.

"What do you want Sasuke?" Itachi asked realising Sasuke didn't want to admit his failure.  
Sasuke laughed and turned away from Itachi.

"What do you want Itachi?" Sasuke asked back mimicking his older brother.   
"Or more importantly Itachi… _Who_ do you want?" The forest now seemed quieter than before, there wasn't a sound of wind and seemed like there was no movement in the trees.

"Come on Itachi, you can tell me. Who do you really want? Who do you want the most?" Sasuke repeated.  
Itachi's arm flew out, a clenched fist smacking straight into the tree he was stood by.  
He span around and looked for his brother but yet again he didn't see him anywhere.

"What are you doing?" Itachi said through gritted teeth.

"I'm not doing anything, for all you know I may not even be here" Sasuke said. Itachi's wonderful eyes widened and he clenched both of his fists in anger.  
"You aren't going to mess with my head anymore" Itachi said.

He walked forwards away from where he'd been sitting so peacefully only minutes before.  
"You still aren't answering my questions brother" Sasuke said. "Who do you want more? Me or …her?" 

Itachi grit his teeth again. "I don't need this; you're only in my head"  
Itachi held his head grabbing at his hair frantically.  
He hit the tree again and little pieces of bark stuck into his hand.  
He pulled out the strand of bark and could feel his hand filling with pumping blood.  
But yet again he wasn't to sure if it was the blood that wanted to hit his brother senseless or the blood that wanted to over power him into a calmer state.

He smiled inwardly.  
"I think you ask me what I want because you're sick and tired of having the same ambition. You haven't succeeded have you? Everything you've wanted isn't coming true is it dear brother? And that's why you're here because you don't know what to do now"  
Itachi said standing still as possible.

"You know that I will succeed in everything I need to do. I just wanted to let you know that you're making a choice" Sasuke said.

"A choi-"Itachi turned to tell his brother what he was talking about but he found that Sasuke was gone. For a moment he ran through the trees looking for him. A figure of his imagination would usually be sable to be controlled, he was excellent with anything to do with the imagination but he couldn't control his thoughts about his family. Let alone his idiotic younger brother.

"Why don't you just avenge the clan and get it over with?" He whispered running his hands through his hair.

"Why can't you just put me out of this misery!!" He shouted out. His eyes wandered up to the sky and he shouted again.  
He knew that even if his brother was wandering his mind it would be better for him to let it out, whether Sasuke was there or not at least he knew out of his head that he hated the fact that he was living to only die and that so far his brother hadn't found him or killed him.

Sakura.

She could hear the muffled sounds of shouting surrounding her. Her eyes darted while listening to the sound and she followed it into the forest.  
There was a dim light around her due to so many trees covering the sky like a canopy.  
It was cool under them and quiet so she decided if Itachi was out here then she could at least call him and he'd hear.  
She shouted out his name then kept perfectly quiet ready to hear a response if any.  
There wasn't one.  
Yet she heard in the distance the sound of movement. Like footsteps and jumps away from here.  
She jumped high into a tree looking for movement between them, the rushing of the ar to see if there was a person visible.  
A little while after tracing the movement she began to follow it as best as possible, it was unfortunate that whatever she was following moved at an incredible speed and she could barely keep up.

The wind whipped past her face bringing tears to her eyes every time she dared blink and making her hair harshly whip at her neck due to the speed she was gaining.

After highly searching through the trees until her breath was at it tether she stopped watching as whatever had been moving was quickly disappearing into nothing but slight movement in the leaves a racing sea of greens that were only slightly moving.

And then it was gone. She had a certain knowledge that it was Itachi, he seemed to be the type to run from a problem if it cropped up and at the moment their main problem would have been the fact that in mere hours before they'd both been stuck in what felt like a false reality.

Itachi.

Running from her was like running from death when you're on the brink. She was faster than he'd expected but soon she let up and stopped chasing him. He knew it was her, he could tell her from a mile away even without looking. When it was Sasuke he wasn't so sure, he didn't know his presence because he didn't have any time spent with him at the age that he was.

Being with Sakura for such a long time meant that he knew how she moved, the way that she carried herself and the way that she stood around people. Like an aura he knew where she was and how she was feeling, feelings were more difficult for her though.  
Her feelings were easily mixed and change in the blink of an eye.  
it was like she knew how to confuse him even without having to try.  
If he'd upset her not only didn't she have the usual emotions; anger and upset but also confusion, hatred, betrayal and also felt deceit.  
She was terribly complex for a girl the same age as his brother and he'd never met anyone that had the ambition or stamina like her.

He hated the fact that he'd have to run with her to have five minutes of piece. He needed to think, he'd just imagined having a full blown conversation with his younger brother that he wasn't even sure he could have. He'd never been able to handle general conversation with anyone before, even family.  
He just had trouble telling them how he was feeling or telling him what they wanted to hear. 

It wasn't like he didn't want to talk to them like he saw everyone else do; he just found it to difficult to strike up a conversation that lasted more than five seconds.  
But with her he could talk like he knew what to say but he still knew that even if they weren't speaking she wasn't thinking he was weird or that he was plotting against her.  
So maybe he should go talk to her now. 

But first he though he'd let her go back to their room for a while, so she'd forget she'd been chasing anyone and then being that he'd been gone so long she would've realised that it wasn't him she was chasing.

He needed her to be calm and not figure that anything is wrong; a day like any other they'd spent together, obviously it was going to be hard because of what had happened the hours before but he didn't want her to expect anything more than she had to.

So he sat there at the edge of what was a sort of lake just breathing in and out making things work themselves out. It was an hour or so he spent there biding his time so that he knew how to walk back into the room and confront her for the last time.

And then he took in a deep breath and began to bring himself back to reality and walked back to the hotel.

Sakura

She was shaking her head to release herself of the thought that it was Itachi she'd been following through the forest and focused on waiting till he would get back later. So she turned heading back for their hotel room. Leaving the beautiful forestry behind her and eventually, after walking for a little while came out on to the dusty road that stretched for miles both way with the boiling sun casting down upon her pale skin.

She looked up at their hotel; it was a very tall building though she hadn't seen anyone in it other than Itachi and a woman at the front desk who smiled at her warmly as she walked back into the premises.

Sakura smiled back sweetly even though she felt there was no need; she didn't really have the energy to smile inside of her.  
Yet she did it effortlessly and carried on walking up to their room.  
The stairs leading up to their floor were very steep and they seemed to be carrying on forever.  
She even had to stop and catch her breath a few tie while walking up. But soon she reached the top and thankfully looked down the dim hall ways and saw their room right on the end.

She walked down looking at the battered doors and cracked windows until she reached theirs; the door wasn't battered or scratched and the window opposite the door was pristine it even looked as if it were new.  
Steeping inside the room she could smell his musty scent and breathed him in for a little while just enjoying the way that he smelt.

being that she probably would be waiting a while for him she decided to enjoy being on her own and for once she had to think hard of what she used to do before Itachi was pulling her around like a rag doll.  
She knew she loved to drink tea and write and luckily she remembered seen some pieces of odd paper dotted around the room and a small tea set inside of the cabinet in the bathroom.  
So she collected the tea first and boiled some water up to make a few cups worth.  
She added some packet leaves that had also been with the tea set in the bathroom and the aroma soon filled the large room with a heavenly scent of tea.  
The pieces of paper dotted around the floor were soon picked up and she gathered them together, made two small holes in the top of the pieces and bound these two holes with bark that she'd pulled off of the tree that was outside if their window.  
Now a pad of paper she just needed something to write with.

She looked around for anything that could make a mark on the paper.  
Then an idea came into her head, she'd remembered when she was a kid that she dropped a necklace into the edge of her fireplace and when not looking fell straight in getting covered in the dirty black substance from the burnt coals, it stained her clothing for weeks and after countless washing the clothes the colouring in the clothes faded.  
So she decided that surely if she crushed the coals and watered them down into a sort of runny paste she'd be able to use it like she would an ink.  
She remembered seeing a cabinet of various little equipment pieces, she walked over to it and found an ink pen and funnily enough it was out of ink.

She filled it slightly with the mixture she'd made then began to scratch away at the paper.  
At first; to make sure that what she'd made was working she scratched out a few figures that popped into her mind.  
They came out perfectly on the pieces of paper and the mixture she'd made came out like any normal ink would have done.   
She smiled trying to recall the last time she'd sat so still drinking tea and writing.  
But once recalling that last time she wished she hadn't.  
It was a letter.  
She'd written to Sasuke mere hours before he left.  
It had explained to him that she had two choices, one was to carry on being desperately in love with him and never act up on her views and the second was to leave team seven and join another team so that possibly her unrequited love could fade away.  
It said that she was sorry that she seemed like every other girl who had a crush on him, but she wanted to know him for his person and not for who she see's everyday.

Thinking about that letter she hated the fact that she took herself so seriously, she'd wished she just would've said to him how much she liked him and just to see what his reaction would be.  
She still did want to find him but now she wasn't sure really how he'd react to her  
or more importantly how she'd react to him.  
Any encounter with an Uchiha was one which needed serious thought.

She'd learnt that after many years of being around the two youngest Uchiha boys.  
Sasuke was more the quiet but fierce type but Itachi had a weird type of charm.  
_Did he always have a charm like that? _She wondered. When she first met him wasn't he rude and disrespectful.   
She realised he'd changed and that like she'd thought before; some of that would've come from her but then again how would he pick up a wise and attractive charm from her.  
Without her realising. 

The Uchiha family was mysterious in that sort of way that made you not want to think about it. She decided at that precise moment that she'd want to write another letter.  
But she'd encode it. She'd number the vowels with a number then the letter v to know it was a vowel and every other letter would have a normal number. And so she wrote a sort of key.

VA E I O U

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

B C D F G H J K L M N P Q R S T V W X Y Z

She first wrote the letter in hr own normal handwriting and then with every word she copied it and coded it onto another piece of paper.

_Dearest Itachi, _

_I've realised recently the changes you've made for me and the hardship you must have been through and all because of a simple mistaken sentence. You told me yourself that you didn't blame me; I thank you for this even though I still feel guilty for causing the events that happened. I wish there was a way that we could rein act that day and I wouldn't have said the awful things I did and we would have gone on to live lives filled with completely different days. I really am sorry for what I did. I'd love to say I'm sorry like you'd never understand but really I think that inside you do understand better than anyone else._

I'm glad though that I've been given the chance to almost get to know you, and I'm glad that you told me what really happened. As guilty as I feel I know that in my mind you aren't the person that everyone seems to think that you are.  
You're better than anyone thinks; if I am the only person at least you knows that you've changed the ideas of one person. 

You've shown me the good in some people is really just deep down inside of them.  
I believe I found yours if only a small amount for the tiniest moment. The good in me feels lost when I'm alone, at the moment I've no idea where you are.  
I hope in a way you never find this letter, it's not one that I want you to read it's more of a letter made to keep my mind at ease. And obviously you'd know about that all to well. 

_But the kind of at ease that I know you've been looking for since you can't even recall.  
I find it quite funny how really we're quite similar in ways only people that studied our real personas could explain.  
That's what confuses me most though at the same time as it easily explains so much._

But really Itachi there aren't words to explain what happens from now on. I feel its best I stay with you, my search for your brother seems unfortunately pointless and I believe I'm being followed by Konoha ninja as we speak.  
But for now I'll leave this for you; I'll probably be in the Forrest out front.

Sakura. 

And so that's what she did. Grabbing a few kunai and shuriken she strapped them into holsters on her leg and arm just in case of any unwanted trouble. Not that she expected it really; she crossed herself she was expecting it she was hoping that there wouldn't be any trouble to come across.

She pushed the door slightly but it made no move to open she grabbed the handle and twisted it pushing hard at the same time yet no there was no conquest. Angering her slightly she turned the handle and luckily enough it stayed in the position she left it, she began to mould chakra in to her right arm and hands. Walking away from the door she was ready to run at it.  
She took a minor deep breath and ran full pelt at the door and it flew open leaving her in a scramble on the floor.

She sat bolt right up her jade eyes blinking suddenly, granted she had been lying flat faced on the floor but she still felt it, the ever growing weight being lifted from her shoulders. She stared back at the door that she'd just so brutally fallen through, the room screamed out to her of dread, worrying and any other emotion that made her want to want to enter it again.

She peered inside and her neatly printed letter lay on the table by the windowsill. She gave a slight nod and inhaled slowly taking in the off-putting presence the room gave.

Heading down the stairs of the hotel sort of place that they'd been staying she let on of her slender hands graze the wall on the way down taking in the detail of the off white cracked paint flecks. The banister had little dotted paint marks running down it from top to bottom and the lights that ran above her flickered on and of and she could see the rare brush stroke or two from an unprofessional painter.

She sighed, the last time she'd set eyes on anything like the smell of fresh paint or new items was back in a base of Konaha. After Naruto hot headedly had an argument with Hokage-sama.. well she wasn't Sakura's Hokage now.  
After Naruto had an argument with Tsunade-sama about the lack of furniture in nearly all of the bases they'd placed a bet that Naruto couldn't find 30 chairs that were of a bad standard out of all the 19 Konaha bases.  
Naruto taking up the bet had already brought a battered up old chair to prove his point further, as he unwilling sat on he found Tsunade's face laughing as it collapsed with him still in it.  
Yet Naruto proved his point bringing forty beat up chairs printed with "Property of Konaha" followed by the base number.  
Tsunade-sama splashed out with little encouragement from Shizune and she bought tons of new furniture and Sakura's favourite base was even repainted slightly; Naruto did re-paint it as a punishment for showing up Tsunade-sama but he enjoyed it.

Sakura's sigh was heavy but she shook it off; there was no need to remember Konaha. Or memories she'd had there.  
She wasn't able to go back now.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs it finally hit her, the cruel reality.  
She'd left her childhood home and now would be as lonely as Itachi-kun.  
Maybe she'd even grow as rude, angry..cruel.  
She shook her head, herself and Itachi were so very different when it came to their loneliness.

She blinked her eyes noticing a woman that looked say ten years older than her and a young girl that was only say past 6 by a few months.   
The girl hid behind her Mother and had a tight grasp on her long skirt.  
She looked up at her Mother who was talking to some man at the counter. She began to whisper and keep glancing at Sakura's tall figure.  
Suddenly her mind began to wander and she wondered if the young girl knew Sakura was a Konoha nin. Sakura's hand travelled quickly to her forehead protector and remembered after showering this morning she'd reluctantly taken it off and left it by her letter.  
And anyway little girls wouldn't be able to tell who she was by a long shot.

She laughed inwardly for being so stupid.  
But the girls Mother suddenly shot a glance Sakura's way and unknowingly Sakura's left hand found itself almost grabbing at a kunai.  
But she couldn't it would be impossible and unlike her to cause a scene over a young girl and her Mother's quick glances towards her.  
They'd done nothing wrong whatsoever.  
She took a deep breath and slowly released it letting go of her kunai and beginning to walk slowly past.

Someone coughed behind her and Sakura whipped round to see the person in an instant.  
Yet it was nobody, she shook her head wondering why suddenly she was so on edge.  
she turned back around and almost fell straight over when the young girl who had been staring at her from afar now stood right in front of her staring up at Sakura's pale face.  
They both blinked and Sakura's head tilted to on side wondering what the young girl was doing.

"Umm hi" Sakura said resisting the urge to scratch her head.  
"Where are you from?" The young girls innocent voice asked her. Sakura hesitated but then continued.  
"I'm from the hidden mist" She lied. "Where are you from?"  
The girl did scratch her head. "I live in Konaha"  
Sakura clenched her fist and took a secret deep breath. "Oh?" She said stuck for words that would amuse the young girl.  
"What's your name?" The girl asked and suddenly Sakura found herself in a spot of worry she couldn't give her name and so she thought quickly.  
"My name is Taeko" Sakura lied but smiled brightly, convincingly. The girl smiled back her huge brown eyes closing for a second.  
"Hello Taeko-chan I'm Sakura" The young girl said. She wanted to laugh.  
"That's a popular name from where I come from" she said.  
"Really?" The young Sakura said and grabbed at the bottom of 'Taeko-chans" dress.  
Older Sakura nodded and smiled at her.  
The young Sakura turned towards her Mother to tell her and shouted to her her mother glanced over at her daughter and smiled but then glanced again and her face fell.

She scurried over. "Sakura-san I told you not to wander off. These people are dangerous, she'd probably kidnap you if she had the chance" she said grabbing young Sakura and trailing back off keeping the girl close, young Sakura's mothers voice was soft but the words struck Sakura hard.

"She isn't wearing a Konaha forehead protector therefore she's dangerous, any nin other than our own are dangerous" Sakura head at a stretch.  
She cursed under her breath and clenched her fist.

She remembered all the times where Konaha had helped other villages in their battles.  
And how many times that Konaha had made it clear to its people that other villages could be trusted sometimes. Their rival villages were known.  
But some people obviously were still set in the elder way of thinking, Pity.

It angered Sakura and if she wasn't so good at hiding her feeling she would've taken on Naruto's actions and shouted out wildly how she was just as kind as any Ninja no matter where they're from.

It made her sick she thought.  
She began to walk out the doors and smile at younger Sakura before her Mother pulled her closer to her and stared down at older Sakura.  
She grit her teeth.

It seemed everyone was so different when they didn't know that you were trustworthy.

The air outside blew softly and wrapped her in its cool breeze.  
She headed for the forrest wanting to find somewhere that was peaceful.   
At least for now.

**Itachi **

On his way back he could feel many other people's chakra about.  
There were three explanations.  
The first being they weren't trying to attack him and were just going about daily life as normal.  
The second being that they were trying to make it blatant that they were going to attack him.  
Or the third it was a distracting to make him think the above when actually something terribly different was going to happen.  
Either way his ruby red eyes activated.

He walked on through the forestry and the wind came through the trees every now and again making him breath deeply and slowly.  
Easing his mind.  
He took his steps slowly as to let himself listen to the passing thought's of people around him.  
It was a useful skill but people that usually were attacking him had no recollecting of it and thought freely about what they were going to do giving him the advantage.  
Yet the skilful type of people that knew this either thought nothing at all, thought something completely different, or thought up a game plan before hand that was fake so he would be expecting something different.  
Yet at this point in time all he could hear were how people were enjoying the scenery or their feeling at that point in time; unfortunately nothing interesting.  
He began to revert his eyes when suddenly he heard a familiar voice bore into his mind.

"You're taking your sweet time Uchiha" The voice rang through his blood stream making his body shake for a split second.

He then almost began to speak but the unfortunate worry with hearing peoples thought is that you could never answer them. If they weren't around then they thought you were merely talking to yourself.

"That girls is a menace get rid of her" Itachi shook his head and whispered.  
"I will Kisame, now would you go bother someone else" Itachi hissed under his breath.  
Suddenly in front of Itachi a water mirage of his partner was formed.  
"Now now Uchiha-san if you hiss like that someone could easily mistake you for that hideous snake man" Kisame's water clone laughed and it disgustingly sounded as if he was choking on the water.  
Itachi resisted the urge to shudder.

"I've better things to do than waste my time with you Kisame" Itachi said and walked past the clone.  
"Calm down I'm only here for a reminder, sort of like a clock y'know" He said followed by that disgusting laugh again.

"Mmm" Itachi managed.  
"We'll retrieve you later on" Kisame's clone spat.  
Itachi span himself around. " That won't be necessary, I can handle this on my own" He said.  
Kisame nodded baring his two rows of razor sharp glinting teeth.

He then disappeared a puddle of water seeping itself into the floor before drying up as if there were no trace of him ever being here.   
Itachi sighed heavily his eye's closing.

He didn't want to think he was leaving Sakura; that seemed like they'd had a sort of weird connection.  
No, it was a task he'd been asked to do she was only a hindrance upon Itachi and he didn't need her.

He only wished he hadn't taken it upon himself to follow her in the first place.  
He wouldn't have had to detach her if that were the case he could simply turn away and find his way back to headquarters.  
But yet this was the situation he was in and he was in no place to keep her hanging about.

He looked ahead at the opening back onto the stretch of dusty road and their hotel.  
Walking towards it he knew he'd dread coming back into the forrest later this very day.  
Shaking his head he knew it was to be done.

He took on reluctant step onto the dusty floor beneath him and stepping out of the forestry he noticed the penetrating heat as the sun beat down over his body.  
It scorched his skin and he hadn't noticed the rare traces of humidity in the forrest.  
It was like walking out of the ocean and into the fire and so he brisked his walking pace into their hotel.  
Before opening the doors he noticed a woman at the counter talking to the owner of the hotel and a young girl had run off away from her.  
Itachi pushed open one of the flimsy hotel doors and slowly walked to his left the woman talking opposite him and he sneakily traced through the mail listening to their conversation.  
He was annoyed though at the thought he could only hear muffled sounds as she'd lowered her voice just as he'd walked in.  
"Any ..from Konaha… a day ago maybe two" The woman said to the man.  
He could hear the man shift from his position closer to hear to whisper back and Itachi clenched his fist being that he knew the man wasn't trustworthy when they'd walked into the hotel a night or so ago.  
"Two.. man and.. yes.. a lot younger" The man said.  
Itachi decided to interrupt and make it out he had nothing to do with it.  
He walked to the desk and coughed under his breath.  
Both the man and woman looked over to him and the man coughed before standing upright and walking slightly over to him.  
"yes?" He asked rudely.  
Itachi strained a smile across his lips and began to lie through his teeth. "I was wondering whether you'd received any packages, I'd been waiting for a parcel since I arrived from my village?" He said nosily looking around the counter.  
The man sighed and went to look in the store cupboard that was behind him.  
Itachi yet again strained a smile while looking at the woman and she gave a worried smile back at him.

"From what village did you say?" The man asked inside from inside the cupboard.  
Itachi thought for a split second. "The mist?" He shouted back.  
The woman blinked and suddenly the young girl came running upto the woman. "Him to, he's with that girl Ma-ma from the mist they are" She smiled at Itachi and Itachi cursed the fact that he yet again smiled at the young girl.  
The woman, as expected drew the girl closer to her looking at her feet.

The man came back shaking his head in protest to Itachi's question.   
"Well thank you anyway" Itachi said and waved at them both.

He head towards the staircase.  
The woman had been looking for Konaha ninja, Itachi prayed for his life that Sakura had the sense to lie about her personal details.  
But he could do nothing know it was best for them both to leave straight away.  
He then blinked; why would the young girl have seen Sakura ?  
She'd been asleep when he left had she wandered off somewhere?  
He cursed that he'd have to find her so they could leave.

But for the moment he just began to walk up to their room.  
He looked up towards their room, he'd dreaded walking up to it.  
The walls were close together and he felt very claustrophobic.  
But he shook it off and continued up the stairs, his pace slightly faster but he ignored that.

He sighed as he saw the door had been forced open and then sighed again realising Sakura had gone.  
He walked through into the now cold room. The window had left a draught throughout the room and it uncomfortably left Itachi in an uneasy state of worry.  
He looked towards the windowsill where he'd been sitting the mere hours before and smiled selflessly.  
He'd noticed that he'd been able to smile without feeling angry lately.  
He didn't like it one bit but it made him stop to think about it more than he really expected.  
The window seemed to beckon him and he stuck his head out breathing in the air like he'd never done such a thing before. 

But he glanced away a piece of paper catching his eye.  
It was on the table and he felt rud looking at it like it wasn't left for him.  
But as he picked it up he let his finger trace over the name written on the front.  
"I-ta-chi" He said quietly.

He'd seen his name written a thousand times but this seemed so much more delicate.

He turned the piece of paper over and uncreased the folds on it to read what it said.  
Though he angered himself.

The whole of it was in digit form.  
He wasn't the sort of man that was at all good with decoding and if he ever wanted to know what it meant it would take him beyond hours to figure it out.  
he was a logical thinker yes, but had the patience of an aggravated two year old.

Glancing away he almost wanted to rip it up.  
_"Who would ever want to do something so pointless?"_ He thought screwing it up and throwing it to the floor.

He glared down at it, the insignificance of a stupid piece of balled up paper.

But he stopped.

Looking at it from a distance he knew how stupid it looked. A man of his pride looking down at a mere piece of white paper for quite a while. No-one could see him, this he understood but still.  
How had he lowered himself to worrying over pieces of paper?  
He picked it up and shoved it into his trouser pocket.

His eyes unknowingly closed and he pushed himself back against the wall sinking down to the floor.  
His knees were drawn upright to his chest and his arms crossed themselves and lay on top, his forehead pressed against them.  
He took some deep breaths calming his sudden anger.

And then a drop of water splashed onto his arm and he glanced up from his current position.

He loved the rainy season.  
It was easier to attack in.  
_"But I guess that's not only why_" He thought.

Suddenly the wind blew in and [as cliché as everything is a small piece of paper rustled in a bad that lay on a bed away form Itachi. He thought it all to obvious but forgot his mind and got up walking over to it.  
He tugged gently on the paper and it came out of the bag with ease.  
it was screwed up, tighter then Itachi's attempt and he careful smoothed it out.

There was a key at the top explaining that vowels were numbered differently from every other letter.  
Itachi inwardly smirked, the key wasn't difficult but he knew he would've thought a lot more about it than that.  
He would've thought it to be too simple.  
And he shook his head knowing that any one else would've thought of it better but she knew how to tap into his system.

He let his head travels the paper wanting it to be flat as it first was, making it look perfect.  
His long pale fingers traced the words written and he hated the fact the he knew whenever people wrote letters it wasn't a good thing.

When news was happy they'd much rather run around in circle screaming their joy out to every passer by than write it down and wait until everyone found out. But sadness wasn't something to be balled out regardless.

No; with sad events if you needed people to know you wrote them a letter explaining everything.

His breath shot in and filled his lungs icy cold and his eyes had to focus for his to read it properly.

_Dearest Itachi, _

_I've realised recently the changes you've made for me and the hardship you must have been through and all because of a simple mistaken sentence. You told me yourself that you didn't blame me; I thank you for this even though I still feel guilty for causing the events that happened. I wish there was a way that we could rein act that day and I wouldn't have said the awful things I did and we would have gone on to live lives filled with completely different days. I really am sorry for what I did. I'd love to say I'm sorry like you'd never understand but really I think that inside you do understand better than anyone else._

I'm glad though that I've been given the chance to almost get to know you, and I'm glad that you told me what really happened. As guilty as I feel I know that in my mind you aren't the person that everyone seems to think that you are.  
You're better than anyone thinks; if I am the only person at least you knows that you've changed the ideas of one person. 

You've shown me the good in some people is really just deep down inside of them.  
I believe I found yours if only a small amount for the tiniest moment. The good in me feels lost when I'm alone, at the moment I've no idea where you are.  
I hope in a way you never find this letter, it's not one that I want you to read it's more of a letter made to keep my mind at ease. And obviously you'd know about that all to well. 

_But the kind of at ease that I know you've been looking for since you can't even recall.  
I find it quite funny how really we're quite similar in ways only people that studied our real personas could explain.  
That's what confuses me most though at the same time as it easily explains so much._

But really Itachi there aren't words to explain what happens from now on. I feel its best I stay with you, my search for your brother seems unfortunately pointless and I believe I'm being followed by Konoha ninja as we speak.  
But for now I'll leave this for you; I'll probably be in the Forrest out front.

Sakura. 

He let the tiny almost scrap of paper slip out of his down and lightly place itself onto the floor.  
His blank face stared openly toward him not gaining focus on anything.  
Wishing to shake his head but he couldn't.

He was angry.  
Rough hands clenched tightly and he stood up not daring to look at the letter.

She would never understand, she would never begin to understand.

Itachi glanced to his right assorted kunai and shuriken glinting at him.  
He took them, all of them and strapped them around his torso hitching them with bandages around his black mesh shirt.

The paper move slowly with a touch of win and he took one last glance at it.

"I never needed such a hindrances" A coarse voice flew out of Itachi's mouth and he crouched on the windowsill before pushing of into the open Forrest.

She was in the front.


	22. If you love her why didn't you kill her?

**BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE**

* * *

** – A/N – **

**I got a review saying the story was confusing, they made it clear tht is was not a flame but obviously I have realised I tend to trail off and write other miniature stories inside my own main story. _(Easily distracted much ¬¬_)  
**

**But it also pointed out that maybe it was best for me to first re-wire this story before making the sequel.  
BUT the sequel is already in the process of mid-way plotting so I do know whats going to happen to some point and I also knew "Wait for me" would always be sequeled just because of my love of sequelling. I love putting you on edge .  
**

**I thank any reader that would like to tell me some constructive critisism, it helps me make the story something that you want to read.  
I need ideas and I love people that write to me because it give tons of inspiration to write more and more quickly.  
But honestly if you have a problem, or you're confused just message me and i'll get back to you with some help if I can.  
And it can be for the smallest thing really, it'll help you and to know you're confused it'll help me in the re-write my making the story easier to comprehend with.**

**But please be warned, and I can't stress this enough, I've read countless re-writes before and I personally really prefer the original on most. It's just my personl opinion and obviously and some re-writes have really knocked my socks of but just don't expect the same wide eyed kunoichi and stern faced Uchiha to be dancing around as in the first one.[_Okay they weren't ever dancing around but you get it XD_  
I'm already nearing the end of the first chapter and well I love it so much more than I did the other one, I just love re-writing this, thought it seems like it's gonna go on forever. What i'll do though is class this one as finished then do tha re-write as I seperate story. Kay? - **

**Oh and also OH EM EFF GEE LAST CHAPTER 33 !!!  
**

**Don't get confused I start using first person within this it's easier to show just how their feeling.**

**RYOUKOx [Sorry for such a long A/N - Don't kill mee!!  
**

**_Italics- _**_flashback_**.  
**

* * *

**And so now it was at an end. **

"_**If you love her Itachi why didn't you kill her before he could?****" - Deidara.  
**_

**Itachi Uchiha**.

He stood there, rub red eyes swirling insanely as they fixated on the trees that slowly moved beneath him. The greens, yellows and oranges seeming to merge together as the wind blew their leaves n different directions. They almost seemed to shiver in fear as his usual poker straight face strained in anger.

A sudden 'swish' in the air distracted his focused view and the eyes that had just been swirling seemed to blur unexpectedly and a warm teary glaze made his vision weirdly disabled. He was unsure why this was happening; usually he hadn't ever a problem with his eyes, especially without given reason. Itachi's blinking eradicate, he shook his head and his eyes opened in a snap. He took a breath; having to stop himself from getting scared as his eyes saw the mossy bark of tree, it was mere centimetres from his face and as he let his breath go it seemed to rebound back at him.

Now calming from his sudden tree encounter he looked to a branch high up away from where he'd almost undoubtbly smacked his face in.He pushed off nearing a way to get to his destinated high branch and he heaved himself up on to it his body now feeling a lot heavier than he had recalled.

He lifted a talented hand and the faint blurs of a green chakra buzzed quietly around his fingers.

His fingers slowly moved up and he brushed over each of his eyes slowly filnching at the feel of the healing type of chakra.

If no-one had told you before; to heal other people hurt alot. But to heal yourself was almost pure agony. His body tensed and lostened all to quickly and he could hear his heartbeat in his ears as he touched the lids of his eyes; it was like someone slowly piercing your skin with the sharpest needles in the world into whatever area was painful.  
It hurt all to much and not only did that hurt it left a tingling feeling that made your skin crawl while you were doing it and let alone the electric sort of shock that it give you suddenly or the way that even after you'd stopped you still felt it all.  
It was agony; blatently put.

He stopped suddenly and opened his eyes wide, but much to his dismay they stayed in their blurred and useless state.  
But funnily enough he seemed to expect it as he clenched a fist and took a deep breath.  
Trying desperatley to calm himself.

Again he pushed into his eyes harder, it hurt like hell and he bit down hard on the insides of his mouth to stop him from letting out helpless screams of pain. He fell suddenly from the branch and smacked onto the floor writhing with the sudden agony.

Yet he didn't dare stop; he needed his eyes in their best condition at all times.

His fingers still pressed hard into his sockets no-matter how much it hurt they were vital to his life.But then slowly a thick, warm liquid came running down his fingers and darting quickly down his face.  
He knew he'd have to open his eyes but he was screaming out now.  
Guessing he would succumb to the pain was far fetched and Itachi let his bloodied hands fall to the ground and just shouted in agony as his head rolled back and the warm liquid streamed down his pale cheeks. He wanted to blink out the blood that had filled his vision but he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

The light was so full of pain.He shook all over and then she was there telling him again.

_"I thought you'd know better Itachi-san"_

He sat still.  
The screaming stopped and he listened intently. It was as clear as it had been when he first heard it.

"_Aren't you listening to me Itachi?!"_

Itachi shook his head wanting to drown away his memories.

_"Itachi-san!!" The voice rang out like a siren in my ears.  
_

"_How dare you say my name so breezily and not care of the consequences" I said looking down my nose at her.  
_

"_Come of it Itachi-san you'd never be like that" she said Getting up from the floor and pushing me gently before leaning against the railing._

_"And how would you know, all young men turn out to be just like their fathers" I said jokingly as I walked over to her standing beside her at the railing.  
_

_Her head bowed and she was suddenly silent. My eyes flickered.  
She seemed to be lost in thought and I looked at her for a little while before she turned her head away and spoke.  
_

_"Because you'd never be so hurtful to one of your own" she mummured._

_Her words hurt me like a punch in the stomach. I wasn't sure of what to answer with.  
I took a breath intending to speak but upon opening my mouth no words came out they just seemed to be stuck in there but I never knew what they were going to be in the first place and with that my head bowed as hers had done._

_But I guess she must've stolen a glance at me without me noticing being that she pushed off from the railings and took a step away from me. I watched her as she took in a deep breath and intended on speaking, I was just hoping she'd do better than I had.  
_

_"I'm sorry Itachi-san I didn't mean it like that" She said apologising suddenly. I was still lost for words as I had been before but a sunny smile plastered her face and I knew I wasn't really to worry about what she'd said.  
I think more than anything I was just overly ecstatic she was just here with me._

_"Its okay" I suddenly said and pushed off from the railing looking down the cascading steps towards the lake. _

"_Let's go for a walk?" I said, more of a statement than a question but she gave a sudden nod and her smiling face made me manage a sudden smirk._

_I walked In front of her being a gentleman and led her towards a lake that I'd always liked, it was quite large but no-one ever seemed to go there.  
It never bothered me; the sounds of nature passing were enough social interaction for me._

_"Itachi-san, not to sound rude but is it much further?" She asked._

_I laughed suddenly and shook my head looking back at her. "No, it's just around this bend" I smiled and she beamed back at me._

_And then I took her hand and suddenly we were running around the bend I'd mentioned.  
I let go of her hand as we got there and we both laughed and smiled. Her head turned away from me and her eyes lit up like I'd never seen before, her breath hitched in her throat._

_"Wow!" she said walking towards the lake. I smiled.  
_

"_It's great isn't it?" My face still painted with my own smile._

_Her breath still seemed hitched in her throat and I wondered if she was going to be able to speak at all._

_The silence between us increased and then she came running over to me her hand on my shoulders and her eyes glinting with her unmistakable twinkle.  
"Oh Itachi-san it's so beautiful, it's just so amazing" Her arms hugged me tightly and my body stiffened up in shock.  
I-I didn't know what to do._

_My arms slinked around her waist and I pulled her close to me and smiled as I looked down at her.  
She was shorter than me and I was quite short myself so I wanted to laugh really._

_But I guess it was better than her hugging me while she stood at a foot taller._

_After a little while she let go of me and looked up into my deep onyx eyes.  
Her hands cupped my face and her own face filled with pain and anger.  
"I know what you're going to have to do Itachi-san, I just need you to be prepared okay?" She said suddenly serious._

_I had no idea what she was talking about, so I opened my mouth to speak but one of her slender fingers pushed against my lips hushing me._

_"I can't explain, but Itachi.." she trailed off looking away from me._

_"Itachi-san, you'll lose so much for so little" She said.  
Her hands tightened on my face and her sparkling light blue eyes glazed with crystalline tears that softly fell down her face.  
_

"_And all for the ruby reds that will bring your life more hell than you could imagine!" She let go of my face and cupped her own, sobbing into her petite hands.  
I gently placed a large, rough hand upon her head and stroked her hair pulling her close to me.  
For a moment she stayed there, just sobbing.  
It was silent as usual._

_But then she pushed against my chest and I let her go.  
"You'll never understand Itachi, It's beyond you. It's beyond anyone" _

_I stared at her and she wiped away her tears from her magnificent eyes.  
I didn't know what to say because really I didn't understand. _

_"I'm sorry" she said looking at the floor_

_Again it was silent but now I knew what to say._

"_Don't be, you look so upset when you're sorry"  
Her eyes glanced up and she laughed, a tinkling musical sound filled the air and I was relieved more than words could explain. _

"_I'm sorry, I'm just worried about you I guess" she said smiling gently her eyes gazing at the floor.  
I almost choked, she was worried about me.  
It was so cute I wanted to squeeze her so tight… but I didn't. _

_She then looked up at me. "Promise me that you'll never change from anything you are now… that you'll only get better with age?" She suddenly spurted. She said it so fast I was worried I hadn't really heard it all but I figured it would been terribly rude to ask her to repeat herself.  
I got the majority of it anyway._

_I beamed at her.  
"I promise, I'll only get better" I said and she smiled again death locking me and burying her head into my ANBU uniform.  
I stroked her beautiful shoulder length hair and kissed the top of her head softly as to make sure she didn't notice.  
When I did so she slightly flinched but then just balled my uniform tighter in her small hands. _

"_Chihomi! Come on you're late enough as it is!!" Someone called from an opening in the trees.  
I knew that her family had a problem with me, a rich family always thought less of me, my family were wealthy but we weren't so stuck-up-our-own-asses.  
And with Chihomi's family they had to be darting off quite a lot and seemed to always have someone close by watching her even if she had no idea.  
_

_She shook her head and took my hands. "I won't leave"  
I smiled and ran a hand through her hair.  
"Why worry about me I'm staying here, I've gotta show you I'll only get better right?" _

_She smiled back.  
"Right !"_

"_Chihomi-chan please hurry up!! Chihomi-chan!! For god's sake Chihomi-chan!!!" _

_The person shouted her name louder and louder.  
It defied the meaning of her name; 'a hundred thousand beauties'.  
Obviously I knew that she was so much more that a hunbdred thousand beauties but when her name was shouted at a disgusting pitch like that I couldn't help but want her face to brighten and know it would be good news calling her._

_"I should go" she said and I nodded.  
"you'll be around later for me Itachi-san?"  
I nodded again and waved as she ran off smiling. _

"_I miss you" she suddenly shouted._

Itachi's face angered and he clasped his head in his hands. "Stay out of my head" he whispered under his breath.

Flashes of someone he found precious were things that were always so traitorous.

He lifted his fingers to his eyes. [Fingers obviously un-chakra'd

His eyes had stopped aggressively bleeding but they were painful from the liquid still in them. He thought it best to find them some water.  
Luckily enough himself and kisame had prepared for such a problem as a disabliltiy in Itachi's eyes and he'd been able to find water quite easily while listening.  
Let alone able to beath Kisame in battle even without use of his eyes.  
Because eventually he **would** turn blind.

He could hear the sounds of a nearby river and followed it to where he believed it had started and there he knelt down hearing the water just trip over itself.

It was only then that he realised that he'd let his guard down for some time and anyone could've been watching him and he had nothing he could do about it. It was just consequences he'd have to take.

Still he ignored it for a moment and let the running water trip over his hands and run past him.  
He cupped it in his hands and splashed his face rubbing it vigorously.

His eyes pained from the sudden cleanliness and his breath flew in sharply.  
He tried opening them and a mix of red and clear patches swam over his vision it pained and he shut his eyes for a second time.

"You should really go careful Itachi" a familiar female voice rang through his ears. Itachi bolted up straight.  
He hadn't realised her chakra and even now he couldn't really tell her from her levels.  
If she hadn't have reveiled herself he would have never realised her there.

"I am being careful" He said to her suddenly and regained his position knelt in front of the stream. He tried it again and bit his tongue to stop from showing he was in pain. She knelt beside him.  
"Let me see" she said. Itachi shook his head and turned away from her.  
"You're so stubborn, that water is full of dirt" Her voice spat at him.

Itachi grit his teeth and he made sure it was loud enough to hear.

"I just wanted to help" she said and Itachi turned his head away from her his long hair falling to one side covering his face.

"I've told you a thousand times, your help is not needed" He said sternly yet again rubbing the dirty water into his eyes.

_"But I don't understand_ _Itachi you told me that you'd never change! You lied to me!" Chihomi's sweet voice wavered as she stood at the bottom of the tree I was sitting in.  
Konaha's sky had filled with a smokey grey colour over an amber and orange background.  
Surroundings smelt like fire but there was nothing burning and even the faint smell of fresh blood was around them.  
_

_"I never lied" I said bluntly now not wishing to speak to her.  
My face ached and my mind felt like it was in two places.  
My eyes now stung and I wanted to close them or reverts them if only for a little while.  
But they needed to stay open for me to get used to them._

_I hadn't seen them yet, only a glimpse in the reflection of my katana.  
"Itachi, you're.." she stopped and I know what she'd say so I continured for her.  
"you're.. you are" she tried._

_I jumped from my bracnh "out of control" I echoad my voice around her and she glanced from side to side. _

_I laughed to myself. "Stop with the games Itachi!"  
"Games?" I asked playing with her._

_"You've killed them all Itachi !! you don't even care!" She shouted at me tears running down her face _

_I needed to silence her then, Konaha ANBU would be looking for me pretty soon and i didn't need her shouting out the obvious.  
"You even killed him, Itachi" She said and her voice wavered as she sobbed into her hands.  
"Pathetic" I mummured under my breath. _

_ "Shisui was your friend, your best and you fucking drowned him Itachi!" she screamed._

_I walked fowards to her and she took a step back but trip and scrambled backwards on the floor.  
"What hurts more though Chihomi? The fact that he was my best friend? Or the fact that he was, well, your brother?" I said whispering in her ear.  
_

_ She sobbed silently into her hands.  
"I could've helped you Itachi, I could've helped you stop this I just wanted to help!" She said shouting it at me._

_I walked towards her but she didn't move, not a quiver.  
My hand grabbed her neck and I pulled her up to my level.  
With my free hand I un-hitched my katana.  
"I don't need your help" I whispered harshly then gently kissed her neck._

_She stayed silent and I plunged my katana through her stomach.  
She took a sharp breath but her eyes didn't move from my own as she swayed back and I pulled out the katana.  
she collapsed in a heap on the floor.  
"I loved you Ita-" she stopped and her head roll backwards before sinking to the floor.  
I walked over to her and knelt down beside her propping her up on my knee.  
I got close to her ear and whispered.  
"I loved you too Chihomi" I said before lying her back down and walking away.  
That was the end of my emotions._

For a while he could feel her cold gaze piercing through him as she disgustingly observed him attempts.

"For God's sake" Suddenly his face was being cupped and Sakura's gentle fingers graced the skin just above his eye socket.

_"She'd never have disobeyed me"_ He thought.  
For a few moments he struggled thinking it would be painful like when he had attempted to heal himself but he soon calmed being that all that could be felt was like a warm point gently pushing the tissue. His eyes felt clearer, he knew they were shut but they just did.

"They're messed up Itachi, what did you?" Sakura said.  
Itachi refused to answer but Sakura didn't care she was used to his stubborn ways now.  
She must've figured he was embarrassed to tell her of his failed attempts to do what she so easily could.

* * *

**Sakura Haruno**

His eyes were in a terrible state. It had seemed like the pupil itself had been hacked out with a pin. She'd asked him already what the problem was but as usual no answer came of it and he just sat there, straight faced.

It was weird, she thought. Itachi and herself were of very few words, but when it came to it if she had to help him she would in the blink of a red ruby eye.  
Like now as she sat in front of him, her hand cupping his face while the other gently healed his eye she was in so much pain it was unbelievable.  
And she knew that Itachi knew this, she'd known he could heal and so when she shook every now and again she'd guess he'd figured how much pain she was going through.  
Yet not once could she imagine him knelt at her side healing her once she'd refused it.

And it struck her. It was all for nothing. Not in a million years would she have seen Itachi do this, not in a lifetime.

And yet,  
she didn't even care, his body eased up as she finished with one eye. "Can you open your left eye for me Itachi?"

He hesitated. "Itachi?" She asked again.

"I can't open one eye at a time" He said slowly.  
"Oh" Sakura stopped in her tracks. "Well then I'll have to do the other" she said quickly and continued the process on his right eye.  
In the left she could feel he movement of his pupil; it was a sort of shaking that would have frightened her if she'd seen them open.

But the right, well the right had no movement at all and was more damaged than the left.  
She carried on and suddenly his right eye began to spring about as the left had.  
She took a breathy sigh of relief. "What's wrong?" Itachi said.

Sakura wasn't sure whether it was right to tell him but she figured it was probably best.

"You're left eye had been moving quite swiftly as I was healing it but even when a shot a spark through your right when it made no movement, I was just worried for your sake. Being that one eye doesn't move it's like a hint that the eye could develop a type of blindness"  
She felt bad for saying it but watching Itachi's face he made out like there was no change and he knew this anyway.  
For a moment they listened to the silence and Sakura started up again.  
The warm chakra sent shivers over her body and she bit down on her lip to stop from flinching.

Suddenly her arms jerked and she sprang up slightly but she was being held there.  
Two calloused hands were placed on her tiny waist and they were holding her still.

She glanced down at them, pale and rugged. She then followed the arms and looked Itachi in the face.  
She thought when she'd look at him his eyes would still be closed and he'd remove his hands abruptly.

But instead two large onyx eyes stared back at her, clean and irresistibly beautiful.  
His hands stayed at her waist and her own slender hands brushed their way up his long arms, their eyes seemed to connect and soon Sakura's hands were placed inside Itachi's long dark hair and his own hands slinked through and rested on the small of her back.

Her breathing eradicated and she bit the inside of her cheek to stop it. They awkwardly stood up not wanting to let go of each other and then suddenly Itachi's face was close to her own and she could smell him, like the smell just after it rains when everything looks brand new.

His face brushed hers and she froze at the warmth he radiated.

She leant back slightly and then his lips gently brushed hers.  
Being that it was only a brush she was afraid she'd missed anything more and suddenly found herself pressing her lips onto his.  
She could feel him take a deep breath and his chest pressed against hers with it.

She ran her fingers through his hair slowly and his tongue entered her mouth, his hands now travelling up her back and one gently tugging on her shirt.  
She bit down on his lip and both their eyes flew open with that both of his hands were under her shirt grazing the skin of her stomach making butterflies zoom around unstoppably inside of her.

Her finger nails grated on his back and he tickled the skin just under her breasts she gasped and pushed away from him.  
Her shirt was folded upwards slightly and she pulled downward on it and gave Itachi an angry stare.

She walked off past him and as she did she could feel it; his hungry smirk.

The trees passed her quickly as her feet travelled at a fast pace and she made a disturbing angry face hitting on the trees and seeing the pieces of bark fly off in front of her.

"I read it Sakura" He shouted from afar.

For a second she carried on but then her mind unconsciously stopped.  
her body was at a holt and she was stuck for what to say.

What was he going to do? What was he going to say?

She stood facing away from him the green of the Forrest being the only thing in front of her.

She could hear him walking slowly.

Growing closer and closer to her, she was scared and one of her hands felt for the kunai at her thigh.

Suddenly he was closer than she'd expected rough centimetres away from her.  
"We have to go somewhere" he said and the heat of his breath tickled her neck.

She bit on her lip to stop herself from taking in a tension filled breath.  
But he already knew that's how she felt.

That was what made her core burn up and hate him.

She didn't have to say a word to him, she didn't even have to face him and he just knew what she was feeling.  
The phrase that he could read her look a book was wrong; no he could work out every detail entirely from the cover.

His shoulder brushed passed her and she unconsciously followed close behind him.  
The walked straight through the Forrest quickly, not passing a soul and in utter silence.  
Sakura only realised how long they'd been in silence when she noticed the lowering sun in the beautiful orange sky.

She wanted to tell him that she was tired and maybe they should ret but she didn't want to break their silence.  
Itachi stopped suddenly and looked back at her, "We'll stop here for a while" He said and it struck a large "pang" sound throughout her system like he was reading her thoughts.

But that was ridiculous, if he could read her thought there was no way he'd abide by them and stop for her.  
He was much to 'up-his-own-backside'.  
But she didn't defy him and she fell to the floor with exhaustion.  
He quickly glanced back at her his fiery red eyes boring their way back into her quickly.

"I'm going to collect some wood and water, stay here" He said before trotting off quickly.  
As he turned she poked her tongue out at him. It was like they hadn't even met each other again he was distant and could barely string the sentences that he had been. Okay maybe they weren't the best of sentences but it was better than these disgusted orders that he shot out only went in dire need.

Sakura let her torso fall back to the floor and left her knees propped up.  
The sky was growing darker and darker as if within mere seconds but she didn't care the sudden cold that filled the air seemed to sooth her gently.  
Her breathing patterns were returning quickly to normal and she closed her eyes getting deeply in tune with her own soft body temperatures.  
It was quiet and the only sound that could be heard was the wind that scurried through the trees and now and again the tweet of moving birds.

She stayed this way for a while not thinking and just letting herself become totally relaxed. She opened her eyes not realising how dark it had become and now everything seemed to be cloaked in a sort of darkness from the lack of light.  
Sakura shot up though when a drop of water splashed quickly into the middle of the inside of her elbow.  
She stoop up looking around for Itachi, he'd been gone longer than she'd expected.  
"Itachi-kun?" she whispered quietly. She didn't want to seem needy of him so she stayed quiet.  
When there was no audible answer she crossed her arms and scowled.  
_"Perfect time to be looking for the world's greatest mute isn't it_" she thought.

She cursed the fact that they'd left everything back at their hotel room, they'd have to go back later and collect it, what was so important that the both of them had to be out at night and leave everything on show at the hotel.

She shook her head "How troublesome" she said her breath quickly hitching in her throat at the thought of her dear friend.

She shook her head, not letting herself think about Konaha.

She walked forward wearily calling out Itachi's name every now and again waiting for a reply.

"Itachi-san?" she said feeling like a lost child, "Itachi-san!" She shouted. She got angry and hit a tree in frustration.  
It hurt slightly and she knew that the skin on her knuckles was pulled off but she didn't care.  
She huffed loudly and leaned back onto a tree.  
Suddenly the sound of movement fell behind her.

She could hear heavy breathing and the squelch that blood gave when the skin protecting it was torn.  
The person had obviously fell but, why were they there.  
For a moment she thought maybe it was Itachi but he we never be so reckless as to let himself fall over while spying on someone.

She walked slightly away from the tree making it obvious she hadn't noticed the person watching her.

"Itachi-san!" Sakura continued to call walking in no particular direction. She looked over her shoulder playfully winking in the direction that she'd heard the person fall when suddenly an arm flew out from a tree and grabbed her quickly into it covering her mouth in the process.

She began to muffle her screams.

"If you scream both of us will be dead" A rough yet soothing voice told her.

He turned her abruptly holding her shoulders and staring deep into her eyes.

His other hand still held over her mouth to stop any sound but she stared deep into his ruby red eyes as they entranced her body and mind.  
She fought his grip on her shoulders but soon she was like a living doll.

"If you struggle like that I won't help you" He said the same fresh rain smell entering her senses.  
She wasn't sure now though whether it was him or the actual smell of the rain.  
It beat down on their heads and suddenly she found her eyes closed away from it.  
He scooped her up and pushed of from the tree travelling quickly to get her away safely.

* * *

**Itachi Uchiha**

"Sakura, you're so foolish" He said under his breath, while her eyes closed and she dreamt of a time in her life where she felt at ease. He'd need to reason with the person he'd left back at the stream.

He was pretty sure it was Kisame, knowing the cruel ways of his partner he'd probably expect Kisame to ask where the body was.  
Yet again Deidara was always one to tag along with Kisame it could've easily been the both of them. Kisame had always been clumsy with his feet and knowing Deidara he'd probably pushed him.  
For being members of an elite missing-nin group they acted like the youngest of kids.

Sakura stirred in her dreaming state and the two of them stopped by the lake Itachi had found when he walked alone in the scenery.  
He laid her down on the grassy floor and placed her hands on her stomach gently. He raised his hands to break her from her dreams but for the moment he watched her.

Her breath moved slowly in and out and it almost looked like a smiled pulled at the sides of her mouth. Her hair messily framed her face and small strands floated around unconsciously with the movement of a subtle wind.  
Little raindrops slowly covered her skin and little pimples of cold turned up but never did she lose her tiny smile.  
Itachi's hand felt her chest and her slowly beating heart was like a drum pulsation through his body.

He knelt closer to her face and gently kissed her pale forehead. She stirred slightly and took a deep breath in as if she was savouring the moment between them.  
"I'm s-so" He couldn't finish his sentence and slowly his hands pressed against his face.  
He wouldn't bring himself into an emotional state.  
He let his hands drop to his sides and his head fell forward leaving his hair to throw a curtian over his face.

"Sakura, I'm sorry" He said in no more than a whisper. But even in her sleep he knew she could hear him, maybe she wasn't conscious of hearing him but she had heard him clearly enough.  
He stood up suddenly and looked away from her pale watery face.  
"When I was young when you wanted to protect somebody you made three cuts in your hand and pressed them against that persons hand and made a seal" he said quietly. His body seemed to shake though. He fell back to the floor and silently let one crystalline tear fall from his ruby red eyes.  
Taking a kunai that was strapped to Sakura's thigh Itachi made three small slices into the fleshy part of Sakura's palm, her face pained and her let her hand rest on his leg. He began to make the three cuts in his own but un-noticeably he pushed hard into his own skin and it bled hysterically running a red path from his hand.  
He pushed together their hands and let his fingers sink in between hers.

He mumbled the seal and a red sort of bright dust seemed to fly out everywhere around them.  
It blew a large wind and Itachi's ebony hair flew back revealing his teary face.

He clutched at his hand and watched as the three lines burned into deep scars through his hand.  
He bit down on his lip but couldn't help it and screamed out in agony.  
But his eyes opened and as the wind blew he looked down at Sakura, like a flower she was blossoming.  
"Somebody needs to protect you" He whispered under his breath as he squuezed her petite hand in his own.

He stood up blood dripping plentifully from his hand.  
He watched as it glistened on the blades of wet grass and slowly fell down into the muddy floor.

Itachi's hands raised and he was ready to break Sakura from her dreams.  
He would do it slowly so that time would eventually wake her in a short process rather than have her sit bolt upright and question him.

He walked behind a tree in the direction back to where the enemy was and gently released her from her dreams.

"I am sorry" He whispered and pushed off against the tree to go back and fight the enemy.

* * *

**Sakura Haruno**

**Dream- **_italics_

I could feel my body being slowly scooped up, and the rush of air brushed my face as he took me away to somewhere I was unsure of.  
_The air seemed to suddenly let up though and a warm sort of breeze covered me making me smile inside out.  
_He was putting me under a jutsu, I could feel it but I stopped fighting.  
My arms fell limp and the day started flooding back as if I was stood in the same place as I had been.

_Walking out of the Hokage's room I cursed at the tower of papers she'd asked me to carry and I swore breathily a the top few pages seem to sway uneasily.  
I watched them as the flew about slightly and then furrowed my brown as they fell off.  
I dropped the tower with a huff and the floor seemed to shake queasily.  
_

_Kneeling down I began to pick up the pieces of fallen paper and put them back into the humongous tower._

_I sighed and decided to split it but slipped on a stray piece and ended up covered on a mountain of paper._

"_Go careful" a familiar voice rang out and I looked up._

_I smiled as the striking blonde Naruto smiled happily at me.  
I smiled half-heartedly as he reached out a hand to me.  
I stood up and thanked him gratefully for being there. He smiled and helped me pick up the paper, it was in no order so I didn't mind his usually reckless help.  
_

_But he looked at one piece in particular._

_I hadn't read the paper personally so I had no idea what had caught his attention but as he stumble back slightly I looked up.  
"Naruto?"I asked worriedly._

"_Tsunade can't ask you to file these, she isn't allowed. That's not" he trailed off and turned away running with he paper back the way I'd just came and I faintly heard him smacking the Hokage's door for her to open it. _

_I wasn't sure what the paper had said but I continued to pile them thinking it was obviously Naurot over-reacting as usual._

_When a piece caught my eye; it read "Team 7- Sensei – Hatake Kakashi Members- Naruto Uzamaki, Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke.."_

_I stopped and glared at it._

_These were our original entry forms for becoming genin._

_I snatched at the paper and read it quietly to myself._

"_The parents of Uzamaki Naruto,_

_We are pleased to tell you that your sons new team members and data will be as follows-_

_Team number: 7_

_Sensei: Hatake Kakashi_

_Members[other than self: Haruno Sakura.  
Uchiha Sasuke.  
_

_Suitable mission levels [other than self):Haruno Sakura- e, d, c_

_ Uchiha Sasuke- c, b, a_

_Misson base: Konaha and local villages_

_We look forward to seeing your son very soon for his enrollment into a genin state._

_Sincerely, The Third Hokage"  
_

_I could remember when my letter came through.  
I ran wildly around knowing that I would be in the same team as Sasuke. _

_But I hated the fact that I was on such lower mission levels than the both of them._

_But I guess it hurt Naruto more to get his._

_He lived alone after all what parents would congratulate him of becoming genin._

_I shook my head and piled the pieces back together taking one pile firstly down to where I would usually work._

_I was met by Naruto holding the other pile at the bottom.  
He had a way of being faster than me without my even noticing he'd sprinted past me with the papers._

_I smiled at him._

"_I'm sorry Sakura-chan" He said putting the paper he'd grabbed and showed to the hokage on top of his pile.  
"I didn't mean to be rude" He said again.  
"It's okay Naruto" I said and looked away.  
"I wish I would've never been grouped with the both of you" he said suddenly and I looked ta him, it was such an insult. He clicked suddenly and looked down. "I didn't mean it like that Sakura, but if we hadn't been together then we wouldn't have lost him as a team" He said. "I wouldn't give up being in your team for a second ! honest!" He said his big blue eyes staring deeply into mine.  
I smiled. "Me either Naruto" I said and a large smile fell on my face.  
I wouldn't have given up my team for the world._

Suddenly I felt the beat of my heart pressure and couldn't remember feeling like that. It was warm and inviting but I felt like I couldn't move.

The rain fell onto my face and it cooled me from my heated state.  
It was like I was totally awake but I couldn't move at all. I tired but barely could move a finger.

I could hear him though.  
His movement as he leaned forward to me.

He was slow and I could feel his breath again on my cold watery face. His warm lips pressed on my forehead and I didn't know why but I felt so broken inside.  
A tear fell down my face and I'd never been so glad of the rain.  
He wouldn't realise, but I held my breath to stop from more falling and making it noticable.  
I had to show him I could cope with this.

He spoke.

It was so calm and almost warm like he was upset but happy. He stuttered his words and I heard his hand move from my beating heart and then to the floor.

"Sakura I'm sorry" He managed.  
It sliced through me.

I didn't know why he was sorry, or what he'd done.

He was moving and I felt like he was so far away now, maybe he'd left me here so I couldn't move.  
I struggled but made no movement.  
My eyes were crying and I didn't know why.  
I was useless just led there doing nothing but let tiny drops fall from my eyes.

But I heard his voice and listened intently, because well because he hadn't left me he was a foot or so away.

"When I was young when you wanted to protect somebody you made three cuts in your hands and pressed them against that persons three cuts and made a seal" He said slowly and softly.  
My breath choked but he didn't hear it.

He fell to the floor beside me and I felt him take one of the two kunai I'd strap to my thigh before leaving.

He gently lifted my hand and very careful I felt him push the kunai into my palm.

It didn't hurt much but I felt my face take on a pained expression and more tears fell from my closed eyes.

He lifted my hand gently and laid it upon his leg and then I heard him gasp slightly as he was making his own cuts.  
I tried to reach for him but my hand just lay limply and made no movement.

He grunted with pains but my hand was lifted and his palm was pressing against mine as our fingers laced together with a strong hold.

I could hear him mumbling the seal and felt like an electric pulse through my body.  
The wind blew lifting my hair and he clasped my hand tight, my eyes shot open and I saw him his eyes screwed up and his face wet with tears. I opened my mouth but nothing came out and when he let go my eyes slowly shut but I saw him grabbing at his hand and I could feel my own burning where he'd make the three cuts.

"Somebody needs to protect you" his words were icy but had a hold on me like you wouldn't believe.

He released I hadn't been in the dream for long and I began to feel movement in my body but I could heard it.  
His footsteps as he slowly walked away. I fought to move quicker but it wasn't working and I began to whisper in all my voice box would project I called out too him.  
But he didn't listen and I cried horrible tears.  
They flew down my face as I started became louder and louder.

"Itachi-kun!!!" I said in no more than a whisper.

"Itachi"

* * *

**Itachi Uchiha**

I could hear her.  
She was calling for me getting louder and louder but I couldn't do anything.  
I first had to deal with whoever was there and turning to see her, well I'd never leave.  
The scars in my hand burnt and I clutched at them with all my might.  
Hers would be hurting too but I doubted she'd be able to lift her hand at all yet.  
Though if she was fighting enough she might be able to so at this point I fastened my pace wanting to get away from her.  
But I stopped and looked back barely being able to see her slim figure still laying on the floor her voice mumbling out and her body shaking.

I hated myself.  
More than I ever had.

"What did you do to her Itachi-san that's no way to treat a lady?" Deidara's voice rang out.  
I cursed him through my mind and gave him a stern look.  
"She's all finished with then I presume?" He carried on but I didn't answer.  
I refused to talk after that. If he'd watched why would I have to explain.  
"Are we going?" I asked and Deidara stopped.  
"Ask fish man" He said and blinked to my left.  
I looked through the trees and Kisame lazily was propped against the tree his samehada resting at his large scaled feet.  
"Well?" I asked him looking from him to the sky ready to push off.

"No" Kisame's rough voice broke the silence.  
I glanced back over to him, his beady yellow eyes glinting in the dark.  
"No?" I asked.

"I told you she needed to be gone not to leave her"

The thought struck me, I had been trying to dodge what he meant.

"I've gotten rid of her" I queried and got ready again to push off but Kisame flashed grabbing me at the back of my neck. I was to distracted to care.  
"She's not gone though is she?" He hissed at me and I grit my teeth.  
"She's done nothing to me therefore why should I kill her?" I said. Kisame's grip on my neck increased and I pushed off dragging him with me.  
Deidara met us up on a tree.

"Come on Kisame let's go" Deidara whined and I knew it was for my sake.

"She'll track us down, she knows too much now!" Kisame said. He let me go and I stood on the tree. "I'm not killing her Kisame" I said, I sounded so unlike myself that I clenched my own fist and wanted to punch myself in the stomach.  
"I could give her a second round" Kisame said jumping from the tree into the direction I'd left Sakura.  
I blinked, he was going to kill her, her state was still unstable and even if she'd be able to move her senses would still be off, it was an unfair fight.

Deidara stared at me and my eyes fell to the floor, "If you love her Itachi why didn't you kill her before he could?" He said to me.  
I hated his sadistic ways but I knew I'd much rather know i'd killed her than someone else.  
"I don't love her, and I have no intention of killing her" I said. It felt like a lie but I'd already convinced myself.

"I know I'm terrible for a love story Uchiha, but she won't stand a chance against him" Deidara said turning away. "It's not a warning, it's a statement, she'll die Itachi" He continued before pushing off away from me.  
I watched as Deidara's billowing cloaked whipped in the wind as he travelled away from me.

What was I doing?

I guess I had no idea.

But I landed at the floor and began rushing towards her and didn't even realise.  
Kisame wasn't fast but she wasn't that far away, maybe he'd already gotten to her.

What was I going to do?

I started running fast and a million thoughts seemed to rush through my head.  
I remembered her _Chihomi. _

She'd warned me about my eyes and yet I'd forgotten about her.

I'd ignored my mothers face as I killed off my last loved one.

But no, I wasn't going to ignore her calling. She screamed out my name and I seemed to be running faster like I couldn't stop.

Water was running down my face and I ignored the fact that it was tears because to me it was always going to be rain.

I could hear her I was closer.

I wanted to shout back but I couldn't.

I wanted to scream out to her but I couldn't.

I needed to save her but .. I knew that was a sentence I couldn't finish.

What if it was too late?

The thought struck my mind and I wanted to lash my brain out for thinking it.. but I saw her.

There she was, led on the floor, screaming.

Kisame towering over her and his samehada inches from the delicate skin of her neck and she just lay screaming.

Her body as shaking like it was on a loop and her arms were pinned down by Kisame's feet.  
I could see he'd snapped a wrist from his enormous weight and she screamed in agony as he was trying the same with her elbows.

I heard the uninviting snap of her first elbow and realised what he was going to do.  
Kisame didn't like to kill people; he just loved to see them in pain.

And I'd seen it before, he'd break vital bones; her wrists, elbows, ankles and knees. Therefore she'd never be able to repair herself without being in utter agony. It would take days if not weeks to find her out here and if someone did find her they'd be lucky to find a medic who would do this much work for the money she didn't have.

She would be in a bad condition and if Kisame started I doubt he'd stop until she was almost in shreds.

He held the samehada closer to her. "I'll do it Itachi, and this will all be over with. You wont have to worry about her again okay?" Kisame said his two rows of teeth glinting at me.  
I let my head go I couldn't watch her screaming anymore.  
It seemed as if it were silent now.  
I just watched her screaming face, her teary eyes as they screamed out wanting me to help her.

"You have no right to touch her" I said quietly scrunching my eyes tightly shut.

"What?" He said agrily.

"You have no right to touch her" I repeated louder my eyelids opening revealing my spinning sharingan wheels.

Kisame stopped and hitched his samehada on to his back.

He moved his foot and I could hear the crunching of Sakura's bones and she screamed in pain.  
I'd wished for her to be silent but I knew she wouldn't stop becuase, she wasn't just screaming in pain, she was screaming because her mind was in the emotional war zone she didn't deserve.

"Looking for a fight Itachi?" Kisame asked a smirk gleaming across his face.

"You wouldn't stand a chance" I told him, he knew this but angering him made him target me, this was better than her.  
She wouldn't have been able to stop him.

I stood a better chance.

The wind picked itself up and everything seemed so quiet.

Kisame had began to unhitch his samehada and I readied myself mentally for the blow.

I knew what I was doing.

My eyes self consciously closed and a took a deep breath as the grass blades broke and Kisame began to run toward me his samehada before him ready to pierce through my stomach. But I jumped my feet landing on the samehada and flipping backwards turning up behind my partner inches from Sakura.  
She grabbed at my ankle with a flimsy wrist but looking at her would've distracted me. She would've penetrated through me with her emerald eyes.  
And I'd already seen it, the look that I dreaded.  
I wasn't going to look but I-I knew.  
On the inside she was asking, "Why are you doing this to me?"

I shook my head, "I'm not doing it on purpose" I shouted loudly not daring to look at her. Kisame grinned toothily and began running back toward me.  
If he kept this up he'd just be running back and forth for hours.  
I began to perform a seal and his arms rendered themselves completley useless.  
He ran towards me still though his samehada shaking from the feeling of his muscles cramping in his arms.  
Struggling through it he screamed out in pain.  
The blue scales like skin he had seemed to peel away from him and his muscles bled underneath.  
He forced his sword back up and I watched in disgust as his muscles seemed to be wearing away from him altogether as he fought against them.

"I don't want to carry your body again Kisame" I said looking to the floor my words emotionless.

I didn't have to look to know that Kisame's face had become angered.

I heard the movement of the sword in my direction and dodged it easily.

Looking back Kisame used the samehada to keep him up straight while spitting blood on the floor near Sakura who now seemed quieter than before.

Kisame's knees shook and he fell to the floor.

"What is this Itachi?" He shouted at grabbing at his arms.  
They seemed to wear away beneath his fingers and shiny white bone kept showing slightly before he fought back and the skin was replaced.  
He screamed out in pain and I merely look down at him.

"It's an illusion, it feels like your muscles tissue is burning and it doesn't stop until you give up entirely and your flesh is eaten by it, obviously out of the jutsu you're fine until you give up and then your body decomposes, I can see it happening and it can be stopped" I said knowing how disgusting this jutsu was. It was pure torture to put someone through it.

But for what he planned for her, he deserved it.

I pulled him up by his neck and dragged him away from her.  
"We could've just left you know Kisame" I said gritting my teeth.  
"We could've just fucking left!!" I shouted at him.

Kisame said nothing and just stared at me.

He suddenly pushed against me and I flew backward stumbling onto the floor.  
His muscles began to burn and one of his arms looked like it was going to literally fall off.  
He let it dangle at his side and knelt beside me plunging his razor nails into my stomach I clutched at it and tried to ignore it getting up but it pained in me and I felt jolts pulse though my body.

I could see him walk away and I struggled onto my knees before landing on the floor again with a thump.

I could hear her screaming again and tried to scramble over to her yet failed.  
There was a swoosh in the air and I figured he'd picked up his samehada. He shouted out in pain as he walked back over to me.  
I heaved and felt vomit in my throat.  
I turned to be sick but he gave me a sudden whack and I coughed most of it out along with a ton of disgusting red liquid.

"Poisoning my nails was a good idea, eh Itachi-san?" Kisame said. I looked up at him as he was biting down on his lip in agony.  
I watched as the bloody dripped out of his damaged lip and felt it splash onto me.  
Disgustingly warm.

I couldn't say anything and my body temperature rose and fell terribly, I could feel sick throughout me and grabbed at the wound as it poisoned my body.

He drew his samehada up and his head rolled back as he screamed out.

I knew what he was going to do but he seemed to hesitate.The drops of the rain fell from the sky and I watched as the last rain hit my face.

I heard him scream out but his hand lost balance and one of them flew back clutching at something before he pulled it out before taking out another blooded kunai, he swayed uneasily and I heard Sakura's screams as she towered over me.

My stomach, suddenly, it was full of weight. It pounded throughout me and I coughed and spluttered.  
Kisame seemed to fall to the floor and he swore loudly, I could hear Deidara shouting out rudely at Kisame in the distance but I could see only her face.

I blinked at the samehada that was plunged into my stomach. It hurt but the literal pain wasn't bothering me.

Her hands rested over me pulling it fast. They were fixed on the blade and I could see her in blurs.Then I saw clearly as the blood fell down her hands as she gripped the sharp blade. She was screaming now. Tears flaring down her face.

She screamed so loudly but it was distant.

Her bloodied hand touched my face and it was shaking like a leaf in a gust of win but she held me to her chest screaming.

I could hear Deidara telling her to leave me but her grasp didn't let me go.  
She was shaking me..grabbing the blade..shaking me..screaming….crying….blurring.

And then I couldn't see her.  
I couldn't see anything.

There was just black.  
And the sound of her breathing.

Her hands slowly shaking me.

But then.

Just the rain and her tears.

Everything seemed to just stop.  
Her screaming faded and I couldn't feel her trembling hands.

There was nothing.

* * *

**Sakura Haruno**

The man I'd seen before pulled at my shoulder but I held Itachi close to me. He bled profusely and I lifted my hands to pull at the blade but it stang and I screamed out, my wrist already in a bad condition. But I couldn't leave him.  
Not like this.

"Itachi-please" I screamed and pulled the blade further but the warm red liquid just stained my clothes and seeped out of him like it wouldn't stop.  
His eyes just watched me, changing between their ruby red glory and their onyx darkness.

The blonde pulled at me again. "He's not coming back Sakura, please leave him" He said.  
I turned to him and watched his eyes as they tightly closed and I saw tears falling.

"No he's here, he's always here" I refused shaking him.

I pulled again and as I let go I could still she the three scars burned into my hand.I grabbed at his and placed them together, our fingers laced. I screamed at him loudly. "Please Itachi, fucking listen" He made no movement, his eyes slowly closed and I held him up close crying into his shoulder.

It was all happening so, so quickly.

"Don't leave me Itachi, please, please" He made no answer and I squeezed him tighter.

"Please" I repeated whispering.

I could smell him again now but he was mixed with a coppery smell of his own blood. He dropped from my arms and my wounded hands filled with chakra.  
I pulled with all my strength at the large blade and screamed in pain as I lifted it out and threw it far from the both of us.  
Blood filled his wound and I cried out as if it's stop with my outrageous sound.  
The blonde man held my shoulders and I tried fighting him off again but I was crying so hard I had no idea what I was doing.  
"Stay with me Itachi, stay with me" I whispered.  
My hands still filled with the green healing chakra I pushed them against his wound and It refused to close, I could feel my hands covered in his own blood.  
I could feel the thousand pin pricks and I shook them off, "Please Itachi", but nothing happened.

The blonde had pulled me from him but I scrambled back over the floor. I knelt by him watching his eye lids flicker.  
"Let him look at me one more time" I shouted looking to the sky and watching the birds overhead.

I looked down and there he was, staring at me like he always did. His eyes ruby red, as the time he'd first looked at me.  
And right there it was just me and him.  
Itachi and Sakura.  
In the silence.

I grabbed him tight. Letting my tears fall as I knew his lids were closing, for the last time.  
I turned to his ear.

"Please Itachi, if you're listening" I sobbed loudly and squeezed him like I was never given the chance.

**"Wait for me"**

* * *

**Fin.**

**A/N- I cried as I wrote it but I doubt any of you will. Please if you've read this review.  
I need something positive after that, truly I can't believe what I just did. **

**I will start posting the re-write soon.**

**But on a final note and a new beginning, **

**"If an Uchiha took your hand and squeezed you like that, you'd think he'd never leave" **

**Just a preview.**

But i'd only like to thank one person (:  
SpeedDemon315

Because well users should be there from start to finish :D

LOVEYOUU

**RYOUKOx  
**


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